DOI: https://doi.org/10.61435/ijred.2026.62522

THE MULTI-FUNCTIONALITY OF BANGKA KAOLIN IN THE SYNTHESIS OF ZEOLITE 3Å PELLETS AND ITS APPLICATION IN DEHYDRATION OF ETHANOL

1Department of Chemical Engineering, Universitas Bung Hatta-Padang, Indonesia

2Department of Mechanical Engineering, Universitas Bung Hatta-Padang, Indonesia

3Department of Chemical Engineering, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Indonesia

Received: 18 Mar 2026; Published: 21 May 2026.
Editor(s): H Hadiyanto
Open Access Copyright (c) 2025 The Author(s). Published by Centre of Biomass and Renewable Energy (CBIORE)
Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Abstract

The production of zeolite from kaolin holds significant economic importance, aiming to reduce zeolite production costs and enhance the economic value of kaolin. This study investigates the multifunctional potential of Bangka kaolin serving as both the silica-alumina source and the binder in the synthesis of zeolite 3A pellets for ethanol dehydration. The experimental protocol consisted of a two-stage process: the calcination of kaolin at 600°C and 750°C to produce metakaolin, followed by the hydrothermal synthesis of Zeolite 4A powder and its subsequent pelletization, utilizing metakaolin as a binder. The extruded pellets were subjected to crystallization to convert the binder into the zeolite phase, followed by ion exchange with potassium chloride to achieve the Zeolite 3A framework. Characterization via X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) confirmed the successful in-situ transformation of the metakaolin binder into the zeolite A phase, yielding moderate-purity pellets (55-72 %). Elemental analysis indicated complete ion exchange efficiency, evidenced by the absence of sodium oxide and a substantial potassium oxide content (30–34% K2O) in the final product. Furthermore, BET analysis revealed that the pellets exhibit a Type IV isotherm, characteristic of a mesoporous structure suitable for adsorption applications. These findings demonstrate that Bangka kaolin is a highly effective raw material for producing binder-converted zeolite 3A pellets.

Keywords: Bangka kaolin, calcination, metakaolin, pelletization, zeolite 3Å

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Section: Original Research Article
Language : EN
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