In-Situ Polymerization Measurement During Zeolite Formation Employing a Differential Impedance Approach

Studying the kinetics of crystal formation is essential to understand the self-assembly of complex, functional materials. Methods like in-situ X-ray scattering or in-situ nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy are costly and therefore rarely accessible, especially for long-term studies. Moreover, in the case of X-ray scattering, the crucial early stages of crystal formation cannot be assessed due to the absence of large, ordered domains. In the context of zeolites, a unique class of porous minerals, conductivity measurements serve as an effective yet challenging way to study polymerization reactions, particularly due to harsh synthesis conditions. Here, we use an approach based on differential impedance measurements which overcomes the limitations of classical electrode-based impedance spectroscopy. As a result, measurement accuracy is drastically improved, enabling accurate tracking of zeolite crystallization in situ. We show that the method proves robust to the measurement frequency, maintaining a high accuracy in a large frequency range. Combining fully automated, Python-based data acquisition and data processing, differential impedance spectra are effortlessly recorded and processed.