Characterization of beta zeolites by X-ray diffraction,scanning electron microscope,and refractive index techniques

Lithium and sodium beta zeolites (li-bea,na-bea) by aqueous ion exchange at 65 °c and protonic beta zeolite (h-bea) by deammoniation of nh 4-bea at 540 °c were prepared. the crystallinity and morphology of all the samples of beta zeolite were examined by x-ray diffraction (xrd) and scanning electron microscopic (sem) techniques.the hydrophobic and hydrophilic property was measured by refractive index technique. the measurements of the ph of the slurries 4% (g/ml.) of parent beta zeolite (nh4-bea),h-bea,cation exchanging slurries and cation exchanged beta zeolites indicated the occurring of the process of ion-exchange. the lowest ph (3.2) was recorded for the ion-exchanging slurry of h-bea by licl and naci solutions due to the formation of hydrochloric acid (hcl) during the cation- exchange process. among the beta zeolites studied the proton form (h-bea) showed that it was stable in the highly acidic reaction medium.