Sustainable Synthesis and Characterization of Nano Zeolite-X from Industrial Sludge for Environmental Applications

Sustainable Synthesis and Characterization of Nano Zeolite-X from Industrial Sludge for Environmental Applications | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article Sustainable Synthesis and Characterization of Nano Zeolite-X from Industrial Sludge for Environmental Applications Eyasu Derbew Demeke, Wondimagegn Mamo Mengistu, Teshome Tayye Anbesa, and 1 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7617988/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 11 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract This study focuses on the synthesis of Nano Zeolite-X from industrial sludge generated by a wastewater treatment plant using a sol-gel method. The fundamental structure of zeolites is an aluminosilicate framework composed of a tetrahedral arrangement of silicon and aluminum ions (Si + 4 and Al + 3 ) surrounded by four oxygen anions(O -2 ). The structural formula of zeolite is based on crystallographic unit cell. Nano zeolites are crystalline, microporous materials with high surface area and adsorption capacities, making them valuable in various applications including catalysis and environmental remediation. The synthesis process involves extracting silica and alumina from the sludge, followed by gelation and thermal treatment to form zeolite structures. XRF analysis emphasized that the amounts of silicon (25%) and aluminum (17%) are essential for the formation of nano zeolite. XRD analysis revealed that the distinct crystalline phases with mean particle size of 36.72 nm, confirmed successful synthesis. SEM images helped support the morphological attributes and show that the nano zeolite has a uniform and porous structure, which is important for improving adsorption properties. FTIR analysis confirmed some of the main functional groups present in the nano zeolite (OH − 3471.04 cm-1, Si-O − 959.83 cm-1), further assessing the integrity of the overall structure of the Nano zeolite. Additionally, BET analysis shows a high specific surface area and favorable pore size distribution, highlighting the material’s potential for effective adsorption. This research focuses on the viability of using industrial sludge as a sustainable raw material for producing Nano Zeolite-X, contributing to waste valorization and the development of advanced for environmental applications. Physical sciences/Chemistry Physical sciences/Engineering Earth and environmental sciences/Environmental sciences Physical sciences/Materials science Industrial sludge Nano zeolite –x sol-gel method surface area environmental remediation adsorption Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 27 Nov, 2025 Reviews received at journal 26 Oct, 2025 Reviews received at journal 14 Oct, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 12 Oct, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 12 Oct, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 11 Oct, 2025 Reviewers invited by journal 11 Oct, 2025 Editor assigned by journal 08 Oct, 2025 Editor invited by journal 08 Oct, 2025 Submission checks completed at journal 07 Oct, 2025 First submitted to journal 07 Oct, 2025 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-7617988","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":533046431,"identity":"b6ee6daa-4c63-4c95-8207-082ea8bb35fa","order_by":0,"name":"Eyasu Derbew Demeke","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Addis Ababa University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Eyasu","middleName":"Derbew","lastName":"Demeke","suffix":""},{"id":533046432,"identity":"f9ffb016-498d-4095-864f-0aff8ca866b9","order_by":1,"name":"Wondimagegn Mamo Mengistu","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Bio and Emerging Technology 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Applications","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"scientific-reports","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"scirep","sideBox":"Learn more about [Scientific Reports](http://www.nature.com/srep/)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"","title":"Scientific Reports","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Scientific Reports","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Industrial sludge, Nano zeolite –x, sol-gel method, surface area, environmental remediation, adsorption","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7617988/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7617988/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eThis study focuses on the synthesis of Nano Zeolite-X from industrial sludge generated by a wastewater treatment plant using a sol-gel method. The fundamental structure of zeolites is an aluminosilicate framework composed of a tetrahedral arrangement of silicon and aluminum ions (Si\u003csup\u003e+\u0026thinsp;4\u003c/sup\u003e and Al\u003csup\u003e+\u0026thinsp;3\u003c/sup\u003e) surrounded by four oxygen anions(O\u003csup\u003e-2\u003c/sup\u003e). The structural formula of zeolite is based on crystallographic unit cell. Nano zeolites are crystalline, microporous materials with high surface area and adsorption capacities, making them valuable in various applications including catalysis and environmental remediation. The synthesis process involves extracting silica and alumina from the sludge, followed by gelation and thermal treatment to form zeolite structures. XRF analysis emphasized that the amounts of silicon (25%) and aluminum (17%) are essential for the formation of nano zeolite. XRD analysis revealed that the distinct crystalline phases with mean particle size of 36.72 nm, confirmed successful synthesis. SEM images helped support the morphological attributes and show that the nano zeolite has a uniform and porous structure, which is important for improving adsorption properties. FTIR analysis confirmed some of the main functional groups present in the nano zeolite (OH \u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;3471.04 cm-1, Si-O \u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;959.83 cm-1), further assessing the integrity of the overall structure of the Nano zeolite. Additionally, BET analysis shows a high specific surface area and favorable pore size distribution, highlighting the material\u0026rsquo;s potential for effective adsorption. This research focuses on the viability of using industrial sludge as a sustainable raw material for producing Nano Zeolite-X, contributing to waste valorization and the development of advanced for environmental applications.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Sustainable Synthesis and Characterization of Nano Zeolite-X from Industrial Sludge for Environmental Applications","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-10-27 10:43:19","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7617988/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"decision","content":"Revision requested","date":"2025-11-27T09:26:56+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-10-26T20:50:59+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-10-14T13:34:57+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"199980941686266315052379788219989986830","date":"2025-10-13T02:31:36+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"245394383395158582031157654142117586285","date":"2025-10-12T11:33:19+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"122557576909224028181768437916302923100","date":"2025-10-11T23:37:33+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2025-10-11T22:11:40+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2025-10-08T10:40:14+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvited","content":"","date":"2025-10-08T08:22:57+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2025-10-07T13:08:04+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"Scientific Reports","date":"2025-10-07T13:04:55+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"scientific-reports","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"scirep","sideBox":"Learn more about [Scientific Reports](http://www.nature.com/srep/)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"","title":"Scientific Reports","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Scientific Reports","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"eac09521-2643-47b6-9b12-09b6134a9e3c","owner":[],"postedDate":"October 27th, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"under-review","subjectAreas":[{"id":56668157,"name":"Physical sciences/Chemistry"},{"id":56668158,"name":"Physical sciences/Engineering"},{"id":56668159,"name":"Earth and environmental sciences/Environmental sciences"},{"id":56668160,"name":"Physical sciences/Materials science"}],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2025-12-20T07:38:32+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2025-10-27 10:43:19","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-7617988","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-7617988","identity":"rs-7617988","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}