Question

Zeolites are used as catalyst in:
A) Petrochemical industries during cracking
B) The preparation of sulfuric acid
C) The hydrolysis of ester
D) All of the above

Answer 1

Hint: Natural zeolite is a very good natural filter medium used to filter water. There are three main uses of zeolites in industry: catalysis, gas separation and ion exchange. In many reactions zeolites are useful as catalysts. These reactions involve organic molecules. These reactions range diversely such as acid-base and metal induced reactions.

Complete step-by-step answer:
They are also used as acid catalysts and these can be used as support for active metals or reagents. They are known to be shape-selective catalysts either by transition state selectivity or by exclusion of competing reactants on the basis of molecule diameter. Often used as oxidation catalysts, the reactions can occur within the pores of the zeolite. This allows a greater degree of product control .

There are various areas where zeolites are used in industries such as petroleum refining, synfuels production and petrochemical production. The most important catalysts known in petrochemical refineries are synthetic zeolites. Zeolites can be used to absorb many substances and application include drying, purification and separation. They are known to remove water to very low partial pressures. A widely used property of zeolites is that of gas separation.

Thus the answer to the question will be $(A)$ Petrochemical industries during cracking. Other applications that can take place within the pore include polymerisation of semi conducting materials and conducting polymers to produce materials having unusual physical and electrical attributes.

Note: In detergent formulations, zeolites are used in large volumes. There they have replaced phosphates as water softening agents. This is done by the exchange of sodium in the zeolite for the calcium and magnesium which is in the water. We can even remove radioactive ions from contaminated water.