Seeded growth of TPA-MFI films using the fluoride route

The fluoride route in combination with surface seeding was used for the preparation of TPA-MFI films on dense amorphous silica glass supports. The use of F− as mineralizing agent allowed the crystallization of TPA-MFI at near-neutral pH (6.7 ± 0.1). The supports were seeded with colloidal TPA-MFI crystals and hydrothermally treated in a synthesis gel at 100 °C for various durations (24–192 h). The synthesis products were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD). A film growth rate of about 9 nm/h was found. The crystals in these films exhibit a preferred orientation, with the (1 0 1) planes of the crystals parallel or near parallel to the support surface. Film growth in the near-neutral synthesis gel was also attempted on seeded porous α-alumina supports. However, epitaxial growth of the seed crystals was inhibited by the formation of a uniform layer of colloidal silica particle which covered the seed crystals even in an early stage of hydrothermal treatment. Continuous films could only be prepared by increasing the pH of the initial synthesis mixture from 6.7 to 9.6, thus using both OH− and F− as mineralizing agents. These films are composed of a columnar layer on top of a layer built up of small grains. Such microstructure has previously been reported in the literature for TPA-MFI films grown in conventional synthesis mixtures.