Zeolite nanosheet of a single-pore thickness generated by a zeolite-structure-directing surfactant

Zeolite MFI nanosheets have been hydrothermally synthesized using a surfactant with the formula [C18H37–N+(CH3)2–C6H12–N+(CH3)2–C6H12–N+(CH3)2–C18H37][Br−]3 as the zeolite structure-directing agent. These nanosheets correspond to a slice of MFI zeolite crystal of 1.5 nm thickness in the b-direction. Each nanosheet is composed of a monolayer of micropores, which is thinner than a single crystal unit-cell dimension (2.0 nm). Such a single-pore zeolite nanosheet still exhibits high thermal stability, steam stability, acid strength and shape-selective catalytic activity, comparable to the bulk crystal.