The disturbance of the magadiite layer exposed surface silanol groups, which in turn attracted AlO₄ and PO₄ species, leading to their incorporation into the 6Rs and D6R units and initiating the nucleation process. These sites then evolved into SAPO-34 nuclei, facilitating subsequent crystal growth.

Abstract

In this work, we explored the hydrothermal synthesize and crystallization process of SAPO-34 zeolites from two-dimensional layered silicate magadiite by using tetraethylammonium hydroxide (TEAOH) as a templating agent. Comprehensive characterization was conducted by XRD, SEM, FTIR, Raman, and BET. Time-resolved PXRD analysis revealed that SAPO-34 zeolite exhibited a steep growth curve when the crystallization time was 30 h, and the crystallinity reached 98.65 % at 48 h. Specifically, the disruption of the magadiite layer exposed charged silanol groups on the surface, fostering an affinity for AlO₄ and PO₄ species, thereby initiating the nucleation process. Under the guidance of TEAOH, these nucleation sites transformed into SAPO-34 nuclei, gradually advancing towards crystallization. FTIR and Raman analyses affirmed the presence of 6Rs, followed by D6R and 4Rs SBUs, along with the characteristic CHA structure. Combined with ²⁹Si NMR established that disaggregated silicate minerals served as zeolite synthesis “seeds”, enhancing nucleation sites and overall crystallization efficiency.