Process for the preparation of crystalline, alkaline, aluminosilicate

Abstract

A crystalline, alkali metal aluminosilicate of type 4A is prepared by reaction between an aqueous solution of an alkali metal silicate and an aqueous solution of an alkali metal aluminate, and includes the steps of (i) introducing a flow of at least a portion of at least one of said reactant solutions into a reaction zone; (ii) co-introducing with said flow (i) an in line flow of at least a portion of the other reactant solution into said reaction zone; (iii) thus establishing in said reaction zone a liquid mixture of said aqueous reactant solutions and said liquid admixture comprising a gel-formation medium; (iv) establishing gel-formation elevated temperatures within said gel-formation medium to effect formation of a mixture comprising an aluminosilicate gel-phase and a mother liquid; (v) recycling said gel-phase/mother liquor to said flow (i); (vi) maintaining said gel-phase comprising said gel-formation medium under such elevated temperatures for such period of time as to effect crystallization of the aluminosilicate, and whereby a suspension of aluminosilicate crystals of type 4A in liquid phase results; and (vii) thence recovering said aluminosilicate crystals from said resulting liquid phase. The resultant aluminosilicate crystals are useful, e.g., detergent additives.