Selective photocatalytic degradation of aquatic pollutants by titania encapsulated into FAU-type zeolites.

The selective photocatalytic degradation of charged pollutants in water was achieved on titania encapsulated into FAU-type zeolites. The electrostatic attraction of cationic substrates and repulsion of anionic substrates by the negatively charged zeolite framework facilitated the selective photocatalytic degradation of charged substrates. The hybrid zeolite-titania photocatalysts were prepared through the ion-exchange method. The titania clusters were mainly well distributed within the cavities of FAU-type zeolites whereas no TiO(2) nanoparticles aggregates were observed on the external surface of zeolite crystals. The hybrid zeolite-titania photocatalysts were characterized by diffuse reflectance UV-visible spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray analysis and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The selective degradation of charged pollutants was investigated by employing three pairs of oppositely charged substrates. The comparison between the cationic and anionic substrates clearly showed that the degradation rates for the cationic substrates on the hybrid photocatalysts are markedly higher than those for the anionic substrates. Among the cationic substrates, the smaller cations such as tetramethylammoniums were preferentially degraded. This enabled the selective removal of cationic substrates among the mixture. Such a selective photocatalytic degradation of water pollutants may provide a useful strategy for the development of economical photocatalytic process by targeting only the most recalcitrant pollutant.

Synthesis and in situ transformation of PST-1: a potassium gallosilicate natrolite with a high Ga content.

The synthetic details of a novel potassium gallosilicate natrolite with Si/Ga = 1.28, denoted PST-1, are described. The presence of K(+) and Ga with well-defined levels of concentration in the synthesis mixture is essential for directing its crystallisation. PST-1 transforms rapidly into TNU-6 under hydrothermal conditions, behaviour that contrasts sharply with its very high thermal and hydrothermal stability, which is unusual for a material of such a high Ga content. These stability issues are discussed and rationalized based on chemical composition, likely violations of Loewenstein's rule and the temperature of dehydration of as-made K-PST-1. The crystal structure of TNU-6 has been resolved through the combined use of synchrotron X-ray and electron diffraction data; it has the BaFeGaO(4) structure type with an additional radical 3a x radical 3a "GeAlO(4)" superstructure that arises from tilting of some of the tetrahedral units in all of the 6-rings.

Preparation, crystal structure, and thermal stability of the cadmium sulfide nanoclusters Cd6S44+ and Cd2Na2S4+in the sodalite cavities of zeolite A (LTA).

The crystal structure and thermal stability of two cadmium sulfide nanoclusters prepared in zeolite A (LTA) have been studied by XPS, TGA, and single-crystal and powder XRD. The crystal structures of Cd2.4Na3.2(Cd6S4)0.4(Cd2Na2S)0.6(H2O)> or =5.8[Si12Al12O48]-LTA (a = 12.2919(7) A, crystal 1 (hydrated)) and /Cd4Na2(Cd2O)(Na2O)/[Si12Al12O48]-LTA (a = 12.2617(4) A, crystal 2 (dehydrated)) were determined by single-crystal methods in the cubic space group Pm3m at 294(1) K. Crystal 1 was prepared by ion exchange of Na12-LTA in an aqueous stream 0.05 M in Cd2+, followed by washing in a stream of water, followed by reaction in an aqueous stream 0.05 M in Na2S. Crystal 2 was made by dehydrating crystal 1 at 623 K and 1 x 10(-6) Torr for 3 days. In crystal 1, Cd6S4(4+) nanoclusters were found in and extending out of about 40% of the sodalite cavities. Central to each Cd6S4(4+) cluster is a Cd4S4 unit (interpenetrating Cd2+ and S2- tetrahedra with near Td symmetry, Cd-S = 2.997(24) A, Cd-S-Cd = 113.8(12) degrees, and S-Cd-S = 58.1(24) degrees). Each of the two remaining Cd2+ ions bonds radially through a 6-ring of the zeolite framework to a sulfide ion of this Cd4S4 unit (Cd-S = 2.90(8) A). In each of the remaining 60% of the sodalite cavities of crystal 1, a planar Cd2Na2S4+ cluster was found (Cd-S/Na-S = 2.35(5)/2.56(14) A and Cd-S-Cd/Na-S-Na = 122(5)/92(7) degrees). Cd6S4(4+) and Cd2Na2S4+ are stable within the zeolite up to about 700 K in air. Upon vacuum dehydration at 623 K, all sulfur was lost (crystal 2). Instead as anions, only two oxide ions remain per sodalite unit. One bridges between two Cd2+ ions (Cd2O2+, Cd-O = 2.28(3) A) and the other between two Na+ ions (Na2O, Na-O = 2.21(10) A).