In situ atomic force microscopy of zeolite A dissolution.

In the present study, the {100} surface of zeolite A was exposed to a range of solutions and the response was monitored in real-time by means of atomic force microscopy (AFM). The zeolite dissolves by a well-defined layer process that is characterised by uncorrelated dissolution of units that are structurally unconnected and terrace retreat when building units are inter-connected. This process was observed to be coupled with the formation of nano-squares that are stabilized at the zeolite surface for a period before complete dissolution.

Controlling relative fundamental crystal growth rates in silicalite: AFM observation.

A detailed atomic force microscopy study has been performed on the open-framework, microporous material silicalite. Emphasis has been placed on determining the effect of supersaturation on the crystal growth process. The relative rates of fundamental crystal growth processes can be substantially altered by tuning the supersaturation.

Crystal growth in nanoporous framework materials.

Future applications of nanoporous materials will be in opto-electronic devices, magnetic and chemical sensors, shape-selective and bio-catalysis, structural materials and nuclear waste management. Crucially, in all such applications, an understanding of crystal growth to the same depth as has been achieved in semiconductor technology is needed. Therefore, defects, intergrowths, dopants and isomorphous substitution must be controlled, and crystal habit and size (e.

Differentiating fundamental structural units during the dissolution of zeolite A.

In situ atomic force microscopy (AFM) is used to differentiate temporally both structure and mechanism in the removal of fundamental structural units during the dissolution of zeolite A.

Atomic force microscopy study of the molecular sieve MnAPO-50.

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) imaging of MnAPO-50 reveals multiply-nucleated, elliptical terraces, oriented in registry with the facet edges with step heights ranging from one to six template repeat distances on the [100] facets and terraces with step heights ranging from one to thirty three times the c unit cell parameter on the [001] facets.

Silicalite crystal growth investigated by atomic force microscopy.

Atomic force microscopy has been used to image the various facets of two morphologically distinct samples of silicalite. The smaller (20 microm) sample A crystals show 1 nm high radial growth terraces. The larger (240 microm) sample B crystals show growth terraces 1 to 2 orders of magnitude higher than the terraces on sample A with growth edges parallel to the crystallographic axes.

Fundamental Zeolite Crystal Growth Rates from Simulation of Atomic Force Micrographs.

An accurate model of the surface growth of one of the most important industrial zeolites, zeolite A, has been created. Comparison of the simulation with experimental data in the form of atomic force micrographs highlights the non-diffusion-limited nature of zeolite growth and provides the first ever quantification of fundamental crystal growth processes in zeolites.