Evolving applications of zeolite molecular sieves

Zeolite molecular sieves are essential to many processes in adsorption, catalysis and ion exchange. From the separation of air, to petroleum cracking, to water softening and decontamination, these materials influence our everyday lives. Some researchers have come to believe that all the great discoveries in the field of molecular sieves may be in the past. Nothing could be farther from the truth. From new mechanisms for pore size control, to new nanocomposite materials, to approaching the dream of robust, industrial-scale sieving membranes, to whole new definitions for molecular sieves, new forms and uses of these materials are rapidly evolving. (c) 2011 Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering