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Synthesis and characterisation of rice husk and palm fruit bunch silica: compositional, structural, and thermal analyses

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Abstract

The demand for sustainable and eco-friendly materials has led to the development of green synthesis methods for extracting silica-based materials from agricultural wastes. Rice husk (RH) and palm fruit (PF) bunch fibres are agrowastes that contain high silica content, which can be extracted through various methods. Current techniques for silica extraction from agrowastes are prone to numerous process efficiency, product quality, environmental burden, and economics of scale challenges. However, the acid-leaching process of silica extraction can remove impurities and enhance product yield and applicability of the final product. Therefore, this study aims to synthesise silica from RH and PF bunch fibres and characterise the physico-chemical, structural, morphological, and thermal properties of the extracted silica using energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), surface electron microscopy (SEM), thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA), and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyses as well as to examine its potential for glass production. Results showed that RH- and PF-based silica materials exhibit high silica content (> 85%, based on EDX), high silica (> 97%, based on XRF), and high thermal stability, which are excellent for glass production as well as applications as reinforcing composite fillers, heavy metal adsorbents, and insulating materials. The treated RH had a silica yield of up to 20% after calcination while PFBF yielded ~ 10% silica after ashing. Future studies will optimise the synthesis conditions and improve the yield and properties of the silica.

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Funding

This research was funded by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) of the Federal Republic of Nigeria under the National Research Fund (NRF) Grant Year 2021 (Grant Number: TETFES/DR&-CE/NRF-2021/SETI/SAR/00031/VOL.1) for the project titled “Fabrication and Characterization of New Glass Series from Rice Husk and Bismuth-Tin Ores for Application in Radiation Shielding.”

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Muhammadu Buhari TETFund Centre for Excellence, Federal University of Lafia, P. M. B 146, Lafia, Nasarawa State, Nigeria

    Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu, Umar Sa’ad Aliyu, Abdulkarim Muhammad Hamza, Muhammad Sanusi Liman & Amina Muhammad Dunama

  2. Department of Physics, Faculty of Sciences, Federal University of Lafia, P. M. B 146, Lafia, Nasarawa State, Nigeria

    Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu, Umar Sa’ad Aliyu, Abdulkarim Muhammad Hamza & Amina Muhammad Dunama

  3. Department of Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Science and Computing, North-Eastern University, P. M. B. 0198, Gombe, Gombe State, Nigeria

    Bemgba Bevan Nyakuma

  4. National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure, Idu, P. M. B 391, Garki Abuja, Nigeria

    Umar Ibrahim Gaya

  5. Department of Pure and Industrial Chemistry, Faculty of Physical Sciences, Bayero University, Kano, 700241, Kano State, Nigeria

    Umar Ibrahim Gaya

  6. Department of Radiography, Faculty of Health Sciences, Federal University of Lafia, P. M. B 146, Lafia, Nasarawa State, Nigeria

    Joseph D. Zira

  7. Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Computing, Federal University of Lafia, P. M. B 146, Lafia, Nasarawa State, Nigeria

    Muktar Muhammad Liman

Authors
  1. Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu
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  2. Umar Sa’ad Aliyu
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  6. Umar Ibrahim Gaya
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  8. Joseph D. Zira
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  9. Muktar Muhammad Liman
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Contributions

Investigation, formal analysis: Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu, Amina Muhammad Dunama; writing—original draft: Umar Sa’ad Aliyu, Bemgba Bevan Nyakuma; Conceptualisation: Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu, Umar Sa’ad Aliyu; methodology: Abdulkarim Muhammad Hamza, Amina Muhammad Dunama; Formal analysis: Bemgba Bevan Nyakuma; writing—review and editing: Umar Ibrahim Gaya, Muktar Muhammad Liman, Joseph Zira; funding acquisition: Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu, Umar Sa’ad Aliyu; supervision: Muhammad Sanusi Liman.

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Correspondence to Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu, Umar Sa’ad Aliyu or Bemgba Bevan Nyakuma.

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Aliyu, A.S., Aliyu, U.S., Hamza, A.M. et al. Synthesis and characterisation of rice husk and palm fruit bunch silica: compositional, structural, and thermal analyses. Biomass Conv. Bioref. (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13399-024-05525-1

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