Ultrasonic waves induce rapid zeolite synthesis in a seawater solution

The synthesis of zeolites from fly ash was performed through a low-temperature hydrothermal process with seawater. Compared with the results obtained using the same hydrothermal method but in the absence of sonication, the application of an ultrasonic pre-treatment to the conventional hydrothermal process with seawater reduces the crystallization temperature below that observed when hydrothermal synthesis is performed using distilled water. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.