Synthesis of low density and high purity silica xerogels from South African sugarcane leaves without the usage of a surfactant
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Date
Authors
Nondumiso Maseko, Ncamisile
Enke, Dirk
Iwarere, Samuel Ayodele
Oluwafemi, Oluwatobi Samuel
Pocock, Jonathan
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
MDPI
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.
Description
Keywords
Xerogel, Sugarcane leaves, Sol–gel method, Amorphous biogenic silica, Value added material, Solvent exchange, SDG-15: Life on land
Sustainable Development Goals
SDG-15:Life on land
Citation
Maseko, N.N.; Enke, D.; Iwarere, S.A.; Oluwafemi, O.S.; Pocock, J. Synthesis of Low Density and High Purity Silica Xerogels from South African Sugarcane Leaves
without the Usage of a Surfactant. Sustainability 2023, 15, 4626. https://DOI.org/10.3390/su15054626.