Route to 4A zeolite crystals cracked
15 Jan 2000
A key achievement of the particle technology group and the subject of a PhD thesis is the elucidation of the mechanism of formation of zeolites, aluminium silicate compounds used in catalysts and increasingly as builders in detergents. There is now an estimated global demand of 600kt/a.
Four years ago, Unilever took its zeolite manufacturing problem to UCL's Alan Jones. 'They wanted to be able to predict product size and quality and to control the intermediate gel stage,' he says. 'Our aim has been to achieve the ideal size of the particle a diameter of 4A and to optimise the production process.'
The key to the reaction is the conditions rather than, say, a catalyst. Scale up is likely to be a subsequent step. 'We can now examine the reaction for achievement of particular products,' Jones adds.
'Now, we can produce the 4A zeolite crystals without the gel. It's the nearest thing to science that I have been involved with.'
