Nano-porous Crystals the zeolites To understand natural crystals,to duplicate them, and then to do better...the art of synthesis! The stone that boils: There are around 50 natural zeolites an amazing crystal and more than 500 artificial zeolites have now been synthesized... In 1756,Cronstedt made an astonishing discovery: while heating a sample of the mineral stilbite,it by using the crystallographic approach scientists became covered in bubbles at around 150C,as if were able to "visualize"the different atomic the stone were boiling.Hence the name given to arrangements and cavities,enabling them this mineral:"zeolite,from the Greek zeo (to boil) to understand and then create new zeolites. and lithos(stone) Zeolites are widely used in industry for water X-rays provide evidence of the nano- damnes-to purification,as catalysts,for the preparation of porous structure of this crystal advanced materials and in nucear reprocessing.They e de are used to extract nitrogen from air to increase In 1930,Taylor and Pauling used X-ray diffraction to oxygen content for both industrial and medical study the first zeolite crystals and revealed that,at purposes.Their biggest use is in the production of an atomic level,these minerals are made up of a laundry detergents.They are also used in medicine,in nano-porous matrix.Stilbite is a sodium calcium agriculture and in the oil industry. aluminium silicate that can hydrate or dehydrate in a reversible manner,according to the temperature. Water is trapped within the cavities of the structure. IYCr2014