A soft-solution process for in situ coating of faujasite type zeolite cryst
als on glass fibers was investigated. Commercial SiO2-Al2O3 glass fibers (S
A fiber) and SiO2 glass fibers (SO fiber) were reacted at 60-150 degrees C
for various times with NaOH solutions containing NaCl as a mineralizer. The
surface of glass fibers was initially leached by the solution but after a
certain time crystals of faujasite type zeolite precipitated on the fibers.
Eventually the fiber surface was completely coated because of an increase
in the concentrations of Si and Al in the solution due to dissolution of th
e fibers, especially the SO fibers. The important experimental parameters f
or formation of faujasite type zeolite were found to be the mixing ratio of
SA fiber/SO fiber, the reaction time, NaOH concentration and the amount of
added NaCl. The lattice constant of the resulting faujasite type zeolite i
dentified it as zeolite Na-X with a Si/Al ratio of 1.28. (C) 2000 Elsevier
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