Zeolitization of Diatomite Residues by a Simple Method

Abstract

The possibility of transforming a diatomite-rich waste from the brewing industry into synthetic zeolites has been investigated. After precalcination at 550 °C to eliminate the retained organic matter, the clean diatomite (Dt; with a Si/Al molar ratio of 17.4), was hydrothermally treated for 24 h with continuous stirring in a 3M NaOH solution at 80 °C. The results of mineralogical characterization by X-ray diffraction with Rietveld refinement have shown a crystallization of 55% of zeolite P, which was neoformed from the amorphous phase, opal-CT and quartz of the starting sample. The spectra obtained by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometry have corroborated such zeolitization. N2 adsorption–desorption isotherms have shown that the zeolitized material (Dt-Z) is mesoporous, with almost 60% more specific surface area than Dt (62.6 m2/g vs. 39.4 m2/g), greater microporosity and 40% smaller average pore size than Dt (71 Å vs. 118 Å). This study is a first approximation to know the potential of diatomite wastes as zeolite precursors, for which additional research including an aluminum source will be required.