In this study we used a silico-aluminous residue as a source of SiO2 and Al2O3 for the synthesis of zeolites. The residue used is a byproduct of the extraction process of lithium from β-spodumene. The synthesized products were characterized by a mixture of zeolitic phases and compounds present in the residue, which was not solubilized. When the Si/Al ratio is one a phase mixture of zeolite A + sodalite and NaP zeolite + sodalite was formed. Products were obtained as a mixture of zeolite A + sodalite, sodalite +NaP and NaP1 + Quartz. The mixture of phases A and sodalite was obtained leaving the silico-aluminous residue stirred for 2 h at 80ºC, before addition of sodium aluminate and subsequent crystallization for 4 h. When the mixture residue and NaOH was in static at 100 ºC for 4 h, at this same step, the product formed was a mixture of zeolite NaP and sodalite. The increase in Si/Al ratio to 3.2, a step of aging and longer times of crystallization resulted in the formation of a mixture of quartz and NaP1 phases belonging to the residue.
silico-aluminous residue; zeolite A; sodalite; zeolite NaP; NaP1
