Molecular resolution images of the surfaces of natural zeolites by atomic force microscopy

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to characterize the morphological and cleavage surfaces in a number of natural zeolites. The investigated zeolites (stilbite, heulandite, thomsonite, yugawaralite, laumontite, and a few others) show rather interesting and sample-dependent microtopographical features related to the mechanisms involved in the surface growth processes at the molecular level. The results obtained by AFM on stilbite, heulandite, and yugawaralite during the preliminary surface characterization are presented, and the images show that molecular resolution can be achieved and crystallographically interpreted by careful preparation of the sample.