Synthesis of low density and high purity silica xerogels from South African sugarcane leaves without the usage of a surfactant

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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.