Zeolites are microporous three-dimensional crystalline solids of aluminum silicate. Small, fixed-size pores in zeolites allow small molecules to flow through easily but not larger molecules, which is why they’re sometimes called molecular sieves. Zeolites are hydrated aluminosilicate minerals made composed of alumina and silica tetrahedra that are linked.
Zeolite has a distinct crystalline structure when compared to other crystalline materials. Zeolite is a crystalline solid with a unique framework structure that contains voids filled with ions and water molecules that flow freely.
The following are some of the most prevalent applications for zeolites.
Zeolites are also utilized as catalysts in the pharmaceutical and petrochemical industries, where they’re used in catalytic crackers to break down big hydrocarbon molecules into gasoline, diesel, kerosene, waxes, and a variety of other petroleum byproducts. The porous structure of zeolites plays a crucial role once again. The many pores of a zeolite’s open structure behave as millions of microscopic test tubes, trapping atoms and molecules and facilitating chemical reactions. Zeolite catalysts can function selectively on certain compounds since the pores in a particular zeolite are of a fixed size and shape, which is why they’re frequently referred to as shape-selective catalysts (they can select the molecules they work on in other ways besides shape and size )
When breathed, some zeolites, such as natural fibrous zeolites (Erionite), can cause cancer.
Because zeolites are insoluble in water, they can be filtered out of an aqueous solution.
Zeolites are utilized for biological water treatment because of their high porosity and huge surface area. Zeolites also filter out unwanted cations, radioactive elements, and heavy metals from water.