< p >沸石粘土非常相似,一个关键的区别。粘土的分子结构非常紧凑。相比之下,沸石的分子结构小奈米孔洞,这些孔不会连接。结果是一个多孔,tunnel-filled结构在分子水平上。< / p > < p >产生的隧道使沸石很善于吸收物质在那些隧道符合得很好。这些物质是什么取决于沸石。有大量的天然沸石,甚至更多的人造沸石。这沸石吸收物质的性质很大程度上取决于在沸石孔。作为一个例子,国际空间站的使用一种特殊的沸石(“5沸石”)有选择地吸收大气中的二氧化碳呼吸。< / p > < p >沸石需要被丢弃成为饱和后如果所有他们所做的是吸收的东西。情况并非如此。 It's rather easy to make zeolites relinquish the stuff they have absorbed because the absorption mechanism is rather weak. All it takes is a smallish amount of energy. Zeolites used in industrial settings are subjected to heat, noxious chemicals,or both to make them relinquish the stuff they have absorbed. In addition to having a large number of industrial uses, zeolites have apparently become attractive to the "all natural" crowd. (I suspect the larger number of "non-natural" zeolites are verboten amongst this crowd.) Exposing zeolites to sunlight means they absorb heat and ultraviolet light. This is indeed one way to make zeolites reject whatever has been absorbed. That's not very efficient; it would be much more efficient to bake those zeolites and/or expose them to a series of caustic chemical baths. However, that wouldn't play well with the "all natural" crowd.