Novel Approaches To Optimize The Synthesis Of Mass-Transport Limited Zeolite Catalysts

The rational design and optimization of zeolite catalysts require a molecular-level understanding of their growth mechanism(s), which, when coupled with novel synthetic routes, enable the predictive tailoring of material properties, such as crystal size, morphology, and surface architecture. Here we present methods of controlling zeolite nucleation and growth to achieve desired structural and physicochemical properties. Emphasis is placed on zeolite framework types with 1-dimensional (1D) pores, which exhibit severe mass transfer limitations due to their suboptimal crystal habit. The unidirectional diffusion path length of these zeolites provides a unique opportunity to study the effects of crystal engineering on catalyst performance in various applications. To this end, we will discuss recent advancements in zeolite synthesis and characterization using a combination of techniques capable of resolving crystallization phenomena at length scales ranging from the macroscopic to near-molecular levels.