Enhancement of synthesis of ZSM-11 zeolite by microwave irradiation

A novel and complete description for ZSM-11 zeolite microwave-assisted synthesis is provided.The time required for the synthesis of ZSM-11 zeolite was remarkably reduced down to 3-4 days instead of 14 days under classical conditions, without the use of seed crystals and of any pretreatment step such as aging time.The crystallinity degree of ZSM-11 zeolites synthesized under microwave irradiation is considerably improved (39% higher) with respect to the crystallinity of conventional ZSM-11 zeolites.According to SEM images, the particle sizes of ZSM-11 zeolites synthesized by both methods are identical and a new morphology is observed when microwave irradiation is used.The surface area and microporous volume values for both synthesis methods are similar.In this work, the synthesis of ZSM-11 zeolite has been successfully intensified by using microwave irradiation.Energy consumption and synthesis time are considerably reduced.