HYDROTHERMAL SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF ZSM-5 ZEOLITE FROM ANORTHOSITE: IMPACTS OF REACTION TIME AND TEMPERATURE

Anorthosite was used as the alumina source while applying a hydrothermal method for the synthesis of ZSM-5. The anorthosite sample, obtained from the Soji-Bikilal region of Ethiopia, was pre-treated and activated with NaOH at a 1:2 (wt/wt) ratio. ZSM-5 type zeolites were made from the anorthosite rock utilising hydrothermal synthesis at reaction times of (24, 48, and 96) h at a reaction temperature of 100 °C, in accordance with the alkaline fusion technique. UV-vis spectra, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and BET surface area were used to characterize anorthosite and synthesized ZSM-5 zeolite. The highest noticeable reflection peak for the ZSM-5 zeolite synthesised at the reaction temperature of 100 °C and reaction time of 96 h was at 24.7°, showing that the material was extremely crystalline. According to their microstructures, anorthosite features platy crystals and amorphous particles, while ZSM-5 zeolite exhibits spherical crystals with some amorphous gel.