Syntheses of ferrierite, ZSM-48, and ZSM-5 in glycerol solvent

The mixtures of SiO₂, Al₂O₃, and Na₂O with various batch compositions have been allowed to react in glycerol solvent at 210°C for 7-14 d. Consequently, the crystallization fields of three kinds of zeolites of ferrierite, ZSM-48, and ZSM-5 in addition to sodalite were newly discovered. Ferrierite was obtained at lower molar percentages of Al₂O₃ and Na₂O than was sodalite. ZSM-48 and ZSM-5 were obtained at much lower molar percentages of Al₂O₃ than was ferrierite. Glycerol was found to act as both a solvent and a template from the fact that these zeolites encapsulated glycerol molecules in their framework. The comparison with the crystallization of zeolitic phases in aqueous solvent without using organic templates suggested the availability of glycerol for the syntheses of ferrierite, ZSM-48, and sodalite.