Zeolite Molecular Sieve 4A: Anomalous Compressibility and Volume Discontinuities at High Pressure.

Unit cell parameters of synthetic zeolite 4A were measured at several pressures to 40 kilobars with both water and an alcohol mixture as hydrostatic pressure media. Compression in water was normal, with no observed phase transitions. Compression in alcohols was twice as great as in water, and three volume discontinuities were observed. These volume changes in alcohol were rapid with increasing pressure but sluggish in reverse. High-pressure "phases," all of which are dimensionally cubic, are progressively more compressible at high pressure. These unusual high-pressure phenomena, which indicate significant interactions between zeolite 4A and the hydrostatic media, are consistent with differences in zeolite adsorption of water alcohols.