The increased use value of bamboo leaves as silica source for t-type zeolite synthesis

¹ UIN Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, Bandung, Indonesia.
² UIN Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung, Department of Chemistry Education, Bandung, Indonesia.
³ UIN Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung, Research Center, Bandung, Indonesia.
⁴ Institut Teknologi Bandung, Master Program in Computational Science, Faculty of Mathematic and Natural Science, Indonesia

^* Corresponding author: s.setiadji@uinsgd.ac.id

Abstract

T-type zeolite can be used as catalyst, adsorbent, and membranes for gas separation. The synthesis of T-type zeolite needs to be optimized in both of the method and source of precursor, because of its relatively high price. In this research, the synthesis is done using silica extracted from bamboo leaves instead of commercial silica. This increases the value of the bamboo leaves and the cost-performance of zeolite synthesis. The silica was extracted from bamboo leaves ash using alkaline solvent. The extracted silica has 81.76% of purity and an amorphous phase. The T-type zeolite was synthesized using the molar composition of 0.15 Na₂O : 0.025 Al : 0.15 K₂O : 1 SiO₂ : 15 H₂O : 0.06 TMAOH, under hydrothermal method and heating process for 4 days, 60°C for 2 days and 120°C for the next 2 days. The characterization method using X-Ray Diffraction and Infra-Red Spectroscopy were performed to confirm the formation of T-type zeolite. The results of Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) analysis show that the formed T-type zeolite has erionite cylindrical crystal shape.