The role of alcohols and diols as co-solvents in fabrication of TON zeolite

SEM micrographs of ZSM-22 zeolites prepared by a hydrothermal synthesis with horizontal rotation at 50rpm for 48h and different concentrations (wt.%) of ethanol: (a) 0wt.% (parent), (b) 5wt.% (T-EtOH-5) and (c) 20wt.% (T-EtOH-20). •Alcohols and diols were used as a co-solvent in fabrication of TON zeolite.•Effect of co-solvents as crystal growth modifiers in TON synthesis was studied.•TON with different crystal sizes and morphologies were synthesized successfully.•The unwanted cristobalite phase in the synthesis of TON was suppressed. Numerous industrial catalysts and sorbents require better control of crystal size and morphology of the zeolites. Here, we report a method to selectively control the crystal size and morphology of ZSM-22 by using alcohols and diols as co-solvents in water–alcohol system. The results demonstrated the role of co-solvent in controlling the crystallization growth of ZSM-22 zeolite. Addition of co-solvent suppressed nucleation of unwanted cristobalite phase in crystallization and growth of ZSM-22 zeolite. We found that alcohols and diols as cheap co-solvent are effective in tuning and controlling crystal size, aspect ratio and co-crystalization phases of zeolite ZSM-22.