| Abstract
| - External surface structure of silicalite-1 zeolite was determined by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (see figure) and atomic force microscopy. Potential applications in thin film growth are presented and possible crystal growth mechanisms are discussed.
- Silicalite-1 (structure type MFI) is an important zeolite that, in addition to conventionalapplications such as adsorption and catalysis and emerging applications such as thin filmsand membranes, is often used as a model system in studies of zeolite crystal growth. Thesurface structure of silicalite-1 crystals with two different morphologies (hexagonal prismaticand leaf-shaped platelike crystals), synthesized in the presence of two different structure-directing agents (SDAs) (tetrapropylammonium (TPA) cation and the trimer of TPA,respectively), is elucidated by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and atomicforce microscopy. The differences and similarities in crystal shape and external surfacetermination are interpreted based on SDA fitting in the crystal structure and adsorptionkinetics of the SDAs on the external surfaces of the growing crystals.
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