Linking Zeolite Physical & Chemical Properties to Flow Behaviour

The proposed PhD is a collaboration between Imperial College London and Johnson Matthey, UK aiming to broaden the literature on the powder flow behaviour of zeolites by establishing a link between the physical/chemical properties of zeolites and the flow behaviour in different processes. Particular attention will be given to the influence of thermal processes, such as calcination and drying on the powder flow. The experiments will be conducted for FMI framework zeolites from which the ZSM-5 type will be extensively studied.
The end goal is to build a mechanistic understanding of how single-particle properties of zeolites relate to the bulk behaviour which can immensely help the development of approaches for efficient and profitable powder processing and manufacture. Hence, this work will prove greatly beneficial for the prediction of technical risks and potential issues in powder flow during scale-up, the minimisation of modelling time which requires powder flow estimation via measurements, the successful design of equipment and tuning the properties of the zeolite and the understanding of the impact of each process on the quality of the zeolite. Most importantly, relating the physiochemical properties of the zeolite to its powder flow behaviour will ultimately pave the way for establishing a link between the powder flow characteristics of each process.