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Observing a Zeolite Nucleus (Subcrystal) with a Uniform Framework Structure and Its Oriented Attachment without Single‐Molecule Addition
Author(s) -
Sheng Zhizheng,
Li He,
Du Ke,
Gao Lou,
Ju Jing,
Zhang Yahong,
Tang Yi
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
angewandte chemie
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1521-3757
pISSN - 0044-8249
DOI - 10.1002/ange.202102621
Subject(s) - zeolite , microporous material , crystallization , nucleation , nanocrystal , molecule , materials science , nucleus , condensation , chemical engineering , nanotechnology , crystallography , chemistry , chemical physics , catalysis , organic chemistry , physics , thermodynamics , microbiology and biotechnology , engineering , composite material , biology
Multiple and complex crystallization process of zeolite including complementary single‐molecule condensation and particle assembly, and alternately dominant nucleation and growth behavior, plays the critical role in zeolite crystallization but meanwhile makes us hard to study the respective effects. Herein, we strip nuclei from the synthetic solution and find that high‐ordered nucleus (subcrystal) is the premise to ignite high‐speed growth of zeolite crystal. The high‐ordered subcrystals with the size of only 6–10 nm possess regular aperture structure and microporous area similar to zeolite nanocrystal. Interestingly, a unitary oriented aggregation process of the subcrystals towards nanosheets is well observed and characterized where single‐molecule addition process is greatly repressed. If a wider range of zeotype nuclei can be expanded, a new synthetic strategy of zeotype materials with heterogeneous framework and active sites may be expected, which may novelize zeolite catalytic properties.