From natural zeolite to synthetic zeolite（1）
People first discovered microporous natural
aluminosilicates, that is, natural zeolite in 1756. In the long-term practice,
people have a certain understanding of some properties of natural zeolite,
including the reversible dehydration of zeolite minerals, that is, zeolite.
After dehydration, it can absorb water again. At the end of the 19th century,
when people studied the ion exchange properties of certain soils, it was found
that natural zeolites had the same effect, and the cations in them could be
replaced by other metal cations. At the same time, it was found that natural
chabazite can quickly
It adsorbs water, methanol, ethanol and
formic acid vapors rapidly, but hardly adsorbs acetone, ether and benzene. Soon
after, the importance of these results was recognized, and they were used as
adsorbents and desiccants, and used to separate certain different gas
molecules, and later in the separation and purification of air, using natural
zeolites Good results were also obtained.
Geologically, natural zeolites were first found in the pores of
basalt. By the end of the 19th century, zeolites were also found in sedimentary
rocks. According to RA Munsen and RA Sheppard et al. in the process of studying
the genesis of zeolite, zeolite can be generated under the action of basalt
lava flows and underground hot water or hot springs containing various
components; volcanic vitreous sediments and sodium-rich seawater The reaction
can also generate zeolite; and zeolite is generated due to the action of
volcanic sediments and alkaline lake water. The zeolite of this origin is
relatively large in reserves and widely distributed.
According to the geological formation of Shangda zeolite deposits,
it can be inferred that there may be zeolite deposits in areas where volcanic
rocks and salt lakes are distributed.
With the gradual development of geological exploration work and
mineral research work, more and more varieties of natural zeolites have been
discovered. According to statistics, more than 40 kinds of natural zeolites
have been found, but less than 30 kinds of natural zeolites have been
determined by structure.
