Effect of Process Parameters on the Microstructural Properties of Silica Extracted from Agro-Waste

Abstract

This research paper investigates the influence of process parameters during the synthesis process of silica on its micro-structural properties such as size, crystalline or amorphous behavior, surface morphology, purity, functional groups attached etc. In this work, silica and nano silica are extracted from Rice Husk Ash (RHA) which is an agro waste by green chemistry route. The extracted silica is of very high purity and non-toxic which can be used for health care applications. Alkali Extraction and Reflux methods are used to extract silica and nano silica from RHA. The process parameters taken into consideration while obtaining silica were incineration temperature, duration of heating and method used for cooling the rice husk samples heated in muffle furnace. The base material rice husk was heated at different temperatures in the muffle furnace for different durations. The converted rice husk ash was cooled by two different methods. The effect of process parameters on microstructures and compositional features of silica and nanosilica was studied using advanced characterization techniques XRD, SEM, TEM, EDS, Raman Spectroscopy and UV/Visible spectroscopy. The study shows that the process parameters affect the microstructural properties and morphology of silica significantly, which is a very interesting finding. It will help to synthesize silica with different lattice structures for different applications via green route. Silica is a chemical which is in high commercial demand for various industrial applications. This is an economic, environment friendly and simple method to extract non-toxic silica which can be used for biomedical and health care applications as well.