Zeolites and mesoporous crystals under the electron microscope

Abstract

Zeolites and mesoporous materials are of particular interest due to the multiple applications in a variety of fields including catalysis, detergents, nuclear waste removal, water treatment, biomedicine, and cosmetics, among many others. Therefore, it is necessary to have a complete characterization of each material in order to fully understand their properties and achieve a more rational design. This chapter will cover an introduction to the origins of zeolites and other ordered porous solids, their structure, and their properties. The difficulties of applying transmission electron microscopy methods to zeolites will be discussed starting by conventional transmission electron microscopy (TEM) in the 1970s until the most advanced equipments used for the characterization of these materials. In addition, the use of TEM together with electron crystallography (EC) will be described for the structural solutions of ordered mesoporous structures. In the last section, the combination of analytical methods together with high-resolution images recorded at low voltage will be presented for the location of organic macromolecules inside the pores of ordered mesoporous structures.