Hydrothermal synthesis of zeolite a from bamboo leaf biomass and its catalytic activity in cyanoethylation of methanol under autogenic pressure and air conditions

• Published in: Materials chemistry and physics Vol. 201; pp. 78 - 85
• Main Authors: Ng, Eng-Poh, Chow, Jack-Hao, Mukti, Rino R., Muraza, Oki, Ling, Tau Chuan, Wong, Ka-Lun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lausanne Elsevier B.V 01.11.2017; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Agricultural wastes; Bamboo; Bamboo leaf ash; Base catalyst; Biomass; Catalysis; Catalytic activity; Chemical synthesis; Crystallization; Cyanoethylation; Cyanoethylation of alcohols; Hydrothermal synthesis; Methanol; Selectivity; Silicon dioxide; Zeolite A; Zeolites; Zeolite A; Hydrothermal synthesis; Cyanoethylation of alcohols; Bamboo leaf ash; Base catalyst
• ISSN: 0254-0584; 1879-3312
• DOI: 10.1016/j.matchemphys.2017.08.044

We reported for the first time the use of bamboo leaf biomass (BLA) as a silica source for the synthesis of aluminosilicate zeolite A (structure code LTA). The BLA with very high silica purity (ca. 99%) was obtained from combustion of acid-treated bamboo leaves, a cheap and abundant agriculture waste. The formation of zeolite A from the BLA precursor was studied by varying the synthesis conditions, i.e. crystallization time, heating temperature and initial gel molar composition. The study revealed that the synthesis parameters had profound effects on crystalline phase, morphology and crystal size of the zeolite A produced. Moreover, this study also demonstrated that the BLA-synthesized zeolite A showed excellent catalytic performance in solvent-free cyanoethylation reaction of methanol under moisture-tolerant and autogenic pressure conditions, with ca. 82% reactant conversion and 100% product selectivity even reused up to ten reaction cycles. [Display omitted] •Amorphous bamboo leaf ash (BLA) with ca. 99% silica content was obtained.•Zeolite A was synthesized from BLA silica.•Various synthesis parameters of zeolite A were studied.•The prepared zeolites gave 82% conversion in cyanoethylation of methanol.•The catalyst is recyclable and active under autogenic pressure and air condition.