Ultra-Thin Zeolite Films Through Simple Self-Assembled Processes

Zeolite thin films are very promising as highly selective separation membranes, sensors, conductors, and optoelectronic devices, and a wide variety of methods for their preparation have been reported. In this report, the authors describe their recent use of self-assembled monolayer techniques to prepare ultra-thin films of zeolites on silicon wafers. In an aqueous colloidal solution of zeolite particles, an array of the amphiphilic hexanoic acid could induced deposition of a zeolite film through hydrophobic interactions. The method was found to be simpler and less expensive than those previously reported.