Abstract:
Sugarcane leaves were used to produce high-purity and low-density silica xerogels through
a sol–gel method. The biogenic silica produced through a thermochemical method was reacted with
sodium hydroxide (NaOH) to form sodium silicate and the produced sodium silicate was titrated
with 1 M citric acid to form silica gel. The formed silica gel was washed, subjected to a solvent
exchange process and later dried at 80 C to produce low-density and high-purity silica xerogels.
The produced xerogels were characterized with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray
diffraction (XRD), nitrogen physisorption, elemental analysis (CHNS), X-ray fluorescence (XRF),
scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The produced
silica xerogels had an amorphous structure and purity of 99.9 wt%. In addition, the textural properties
analysis showed that the xerogel has a BET surface area of 668 m2g1, an average pore diameter of
7.5 nm, a pore volume of 1.26 cm3g1 and a density of 0.23 gcm3.
