Zeolite beta was successively synthesized in the presence of TEABr as organic template within 36 h under static and stirred conditions at 423 K. In order to clearly demonstrate the effects of individual component and interaction between components on the crystallization of zeolite beta using TEABr, a ternary compositional diagram for TEABr, Al2O3 and Na2O was drawn at constant SiO2 and H2O contents. There are mainly three compositional zones in which zeolites, beta, ZSM-5 and mordenite are formed. The results suggest that Na+ cation should have acted as structure-directing agent as well as charge balancing for AlO2-, leading the crystallization toward the formation of mordenite or ZSM-5 depending on its content. The results clearly show that the crystallization toward pure zeolite beta becomes favorable at lower Al2O3 content. In addition, it is interesting to notice that Na2O and Al2O3 contents would play key roles simultaneously in the crystallization toward the formation of pure zeolite beta. The results of thermal analysis show that TEA(+) ion also partially acts as charge-balancing agent depending on Al content, that is, it is more likely to interact with Si-O- rather than with Al-O- at lower Al content, thus resulting in the more decomposition of TEA(+) ions interacting with Si-O- at lower Al content in temperature range between 473 and 623 K. The kinetic study based on 3Na(2)O-18TEABr-0.8Al(2)O(3)-25SiO(2)-440H(2)O was conducted at 413, 418 and 423 K, respectively, and the results suggest that as long as a correct crystallization temperature is applied to the synthesis of zeolite beta, the crystallization of zeolite beta does not seem to be so sensitive to temperature. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.