Microstructural and Morphological Properties of an Analcima Natural Zeolite of Interest for Environmental Applications

It presents the results of the microstructural and morphological characterization of a natural Zeolite from the province of Chiriqui, Panama. By X-ray diffraction and Rietveld refinement, the presence of Zeolite Natural Analcima is determined, but with other related minerals, from the point of view of their geological formation, such as: Albite, Diopside and Sanidine mainly. The use of the Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) technique confirms the presence of the Analcima. Combining thermal treatments to the Zeolite and studying the variation of its FTIR spectra, it is inferred that Analcima (and its other constituents) is stable up to 600 °C, since its absorption spectrum does not change significantly, while at higher temperatures absorption bands related crystalline water bonds, progressively decrease up to 1000 °C, where they disappear. The evaluation of the Scanning Electron Microscopy Analcime reveals a mixed morphology, consisting of structures in the form of columns, sheets and polygonal particles, as well as cavities of approximately 5 micrometers in diameter. A particular detail is that with the heat treatment of the Zeolite up to 1000 ° C, the morphology does not change significantly, which suggests the microstructural stability of the Zeolite.