Abstract: Zeolites as highly efficient catalysts have been widely applied in conversion of oils and production of chemicals, which are normally prepared from hydrothermal routes. Because a large amount of water solvent is employed for the hydrothermal synthesis of zeolites in the presence of organic templates, it is usually formed a large amount of wastes such as polluted water and gases. To solve these issues, we have developed green routes for synthesis of zeolites, including zeolite organotemplate-free synthesis, solvent-free synthesis, use of low-cost templates, and Ge-free synthesis. These approaches offer a good opportunity for sustainable production of zeolites at an industrial scale. Among them, organotemplate-free synthesis of Al-rich Beta zeolite has been commercialized in BASF.

Key words: zeolite molecular sieves, green synthesis, organotemplate-free, solvent-free, sustainable production