Theoretical design for zeolite synthesis

Zeolites, an important class of microporous crystals, have been widely utilized in the fields of catalysis, ion-exchange, separation, and sorption for a long time. In general, zeolites are synthesized in the presence of costly organic templates under hydrothermal conditions by trial-and-error method, which is not only environmentally unfriendly but also labor-intensive. In recent years, novel concepts of design for zeolite synthesis, which are sustainable, cheap, simple, and efficient, have been developed. In this review, the recent advances in design for zeolite synthesis will be briefly summarized, mainly including the design of organic templates for directing the formation of zeolites, design of organotemplate-free route for zeolite synthesis, design of solvent-free strategy for zeolite synthesis, design for novel interzeolite transformation, and targeted control of zeolite morphologies. This review might be helpful for developing sustainable routes for targeted synthesis of zeolites in the future.