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Chemistry

The promise of emptiness

Nature volume 443, pages 757–758 (2006)Cite this article

Zeolites are materials with widespread applications. A newly synthesized example has desirably large pores, as well as the virtue of thermal stability, and shows the value of structure-prediction programs.

A microporous crystalline silicate with exceptionally large pores and great potential as an industrial catalyst is described on page 842 of this issue1. This zeolite is dubbed ITQ-33, and has been discovered by Avelino Corma and co-workers in Valencia.

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Figure 1: Structure of ITQ-33, the zeolite synthesized by Corma et al.1.
Figure 2: Zeolite frameworks with pores of different dimensions.

References

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  1. Department of Chemical Engineering, Center for Catalytic Science and Technology, University of Delaware, Newark, 19716, Delaware, USA

    Raul F. Lobo

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  1. Raul F. Lobo
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Lobo, R. The promise of emptiness. Nature 443, 757–758 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/443757a

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