Formation mechanism of the a&b-oriented zeolite T membranes prepared by microwave-assisted hydrothermal method

Rod shaped zeolite T seeds were deposited uniformly on the surface of the porous α-Al2O3 supports with their c-axes parallel to the support surface. After the secondary growth by microwave heating, the oriented seed layers grew into the a&b-oriented zeolite T membranes with the thickness of 7-8 μm. A formation mechanism of the zeolite T membranes was proposed, which could provide generalized guidance for the preparation of other types of zeolite membranes. The as-synthesized membranes displayed excellent pervaporation performance for water/alcohol liquid mixtures