Natural Zeolite is an inorganic mineral rock that is widely found in Indonesia.
Natural zeolite is a porous substance with good physicochemical properties, such
as high cation exchange capacity, cation selectivity, large pore volume,
adsorption of other compounds, and good catalysts. In this research the natural
zeolite are utilized to increase the productivity of farmland where natural zeolite
is able to improve soil ability in the screaming and binding nutrients given
through fertilizer. In this experiment the natural zeolite must go through the
activation process with the addition of NaCl active solution with ultrasonic
waves-assisted (sonication) to reduce the high levels of impurities that cover the
active sites of the natural zeolite. The observation variable used is power
ultrasound homogenizer, activation time and also concentration of the NaCl
active solution. The results of natural zeolite activation are then evaluated using
KTK, Iod number (surface area), capacity of adsorption, XRF, SEM and FTIR.
The value of KTK and number of Iod obtained at the Power ultrasound
homogenizer of 50% is 280.679 meq/100gram zeolite and 216.611 mg I2/gram
zeolite. The value of KTK and number of Iod is obtained at the activation time
of 50 minutes is 222.94 meq/100gram zeolite and 186.362 mg I2/gram zeolite.
The value of KTK and number of Iod obtained at a concentration of NaCl 0.5 N
is 227.59 meq/100gram zeolite and 198.461 mg I2/gram zeolite. Meanwhile, for
the optimal capacity of adsorption (Qkap) is 158.80 mg urea/gram zeolite,
namely in the concentration of NaCl 0.5 N. XRF characterization obtained Si/Al
ratio of natural zeolite is 5.16, activated of natural zeolite (power ultrasound) is
5.31, activated of natural zeolite (activation time) is 5.41 and activated of natural
zeolite (concentrations of NaCl) is 5.30. Meanwhile, the characterization of
SEM and FTIR is to find out the morphology of surfaces and the functional
groups of natural zeolite, activated zeolite and urea intercalated of active zeolite.