Two different kinds of cases, with and without addition of noncrystalline silica to the Hadong kaolin were studied to obtain useful information on the synthesis of zeolite.
The research was carried out to investigate the formation area and the crystalized degree of zeolite according to a synthetic time, the water content of raw material mixture, KOH concentration, and stirring intensity.
In the case of without addition of noncrystalline silica to the Hadong kaolin and the low concentration range of KOH, the structure of the kaolin was not changed. However, when the mole ratio of K2O/SiO2 in natural kaolin was increased, Linde-L zeolite and unknown structure of kaolins, U-1 and U-2 were produced. While in the high concentration range of KOH, the unknown structure of kaolins, U-6 and U-2, were produced and the production rate of U-6 was increased with the increased of K2O/SiO2 mole ratio.
In the case of with addition of noncrystalline silica to the Hadong kaolin and treatment with KOH hydrothermal processing, ZSM-5, ZSM-35, and Linde-L zeolites and the mixture of unknown structure of zeolites, U-1, U-2, U-3, and U-4, were obtained.
Both cases demonstrated that the synthesis of zeolite from the Hadong kaolin was highly influenced by KOH concentration of raw material mixture.