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Effect of Liquor/(Si/Al) Ratio on Zeolite Synthesis from Fumed Silica and Coal Fly Ash Using the Taguchi Approach

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Abstract

This study aims to evaluate the influence of a novel hydrothermal parameter, liquor/(Si/Al) ratio, on the crystallization of zeolite from fumed silica and fly ash by applying the Taguchi methodology. Template concentration, duration treatment, and crystallization temperature were adjusted to improve zeolitization yield. The resulting products were analyzed by XRD, FTIR, SEM–EDX, Raman microscopy, and nitrogen desorption–desorption experiments. The interaction of liquor/(Si/Al) parameters with considered factors was investigated by using ANOM and ANOVA analysis. The zeolitization content was considered as the measured response. The result indicated that a lower L/(Si/Al) ratio, with a contribution process of 20.42%, promoted a high zeolitization yield, while a higher L/(Si/Al) ratio involved a low zeolitization rate of starting materials. The medium temperature (120 °C), high NaOH concentration (2 M), medium treatment period (24 h), and lower L/(Si/Al) ratio (40) were shown to be the optimal conditions for maximum zeolitization yield. The zeolitization yield of started reactants reached 92.84% and Na-P1, Na-X, Na-Y, and analcime zeolites were the neoformed phases with a medium granulite area of 0.730 µm2 and surface area of 64.55 m2/g. Thus, the results demonstrate that carefully selecting operational factors may significantly influence zeolite synthesis.

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The data used to support the findings of this study are included in the article.

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Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge the help provided by the Center of Analysis and Characterization (CAC) and Innovation Center (IC) at Caddy Ayyad University (Marrakech, Morocco).

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The research, writing, and/or publishing of this paper were not supported financially by the authors in any way.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Applied Chemistry and Biomass, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science Semlalia, Cadi Ayyad University, BP 2390, Marrakech, Morocco

    Abdellah Ait baha, Rachid Idouhli, Mohy Eddine Khadiri & Abdesselem Abouelfida

  2. LIPIM Laboratory, National School of Applied Sciences, Sultan Moulay Slimane University, P.O. Box 77, Khouribga, Morocco

    Kamal Tabit

  3. Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Ataturk University, 25240, Istanbul, Erzurum, Turkey

    Burak Dikici

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  1. Abdellah Ait baha
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  4. Mohy Eddine Khadiri
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Contributions

AAB handled all the experiments and wrote the main manuscript text. KT and RI corrected the manuscript. With the material analysis, BD was a big assistance. The present effort was under the supervision of MEK and AA. The article has been considered by all authors.

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Correspondence to Abdellah Ait baha.

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baha, A.A., Tabit, K., Idouhli, R. et al. Effect of Liquor/(Si/Al) Ratio on Zeolite Synthesis from Fumed Silica and Coal Fly Ash Using the Taguchi Approach. Chemistry Africa 7, 1053–1062 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42250-023-00805-1

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