Meet the Jury Ana Palčić on Formation Processes Drive Zeolite Crystallization Engineering

Arenberg Doctoral School is proud to invite you to Meet The Jury!

When internationally renowned experts visit KU Leuven as a member of a PhD Examination Committee, we like to seize this opportunity to give this expert a forum to a large audience. All members of Science, Engineering & Technology are most welcome to the Meet The Jury Lectures.

Dr. Ana Palčić (Ruđer Bošković Institute, Croatia) will give a lecture on “Formation Processes Drive Zeolite Crystallization Engineering”.

Zeolites are crystalline porous materials with well-defined three-dimensional channel systems that enable shape-selective transport and reactions. This class of materials is essential in numerous large-scale processes, including petrochemical refining, emissions control, and separations. Awareness on societal and environmental issues has incited demand on sustainable and efficient technologies and in zeolite synthesis this is reflected in increasing interest in developing preparation routes that are robust but also economically and environmentally viable at any scale. Typical zeolite synthesis is a hydrothermal, batch-based process involving alkaline aluminosilicate gels treated at temperatures up to 250 °C. It presents challenges in terms of energy consumption, long processing times, limited control over phase selectivity, and waste generation. Addressing these limitations requires deep understanding of the relationships between synthesis conditions, material formation pathways, and process parameters. In this talk will be presented recent work focused on advancing zeolite synthesis from a crystal engineering perspective. Particular emphasis will be placed on thermomechanochemical (thermomilling) zeolite synthesis, which integrates mechanical treatment with thermal processes to reduce water usage and shorten crystallization times. Furthermore, the role of (organic) structure-directing agents ((O)SDAs) in terms of process course control and phase selectivity will be examined. This work aims to exploit fundamental understanding of the formation processes in rational design of zeolite materials contributing to the development of more efficient, scalable, and adaptable routes for zeolite production.

Following the lecture, there will be opportunity for young researchers to interact with her.

• Venue: Curie room, Chem&Tech building, Celestijnenlaan 200F, 3001 Leuven
• Date: 8 June 2026 – 11:00-12:00
• Dr. Ana Palčić is visiting KU Leuven on the occasion of the PhD defence of Elena Brozzi