Extraction of Silica from Cassava Periderm using Modified Sol-Gel Method

Authors

  • J. A. Adebisi University of Ilorin, Nigeria http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1371-9191
  • J. O. Agunsoye Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, University of Lagos, Nigeria
  • S. A. Bello Department Materials Science and Engineering, Kwara State University, Malete, Nigeria
  • M. Haris Department of Physics, Karunya University, Karunya Nagar, Coimbatore 641 114, India
  • M. M. Ramakokovhu Department of Chemical, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria, South Africa
  • M. O. Daramola School of Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
  • S. B. Hassan Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, University of Lagos, Nigeria

Keywords:

agricultural wastes; cassava periderm; amorphous silica; agglomeration; sol-gel; acid pre-treatment

Abstract

Cassava peridem wastes are generated and disposed indiscriminately or burnt due to zero economic value. In this study, modified sol-gel synthesis of amorphous silica nanoparticles from cassava periderm (CP) was investigated. The wastes were pretreated with HCl to remove soluble metallic impurities. Both treated and untreated CP flakes were calcined at 700 oC to obtain their respective ashes. The ashes were leached with HCl to remove soluble metallic oxides and thereafter sol-gelled to obtain silica gel modified with ethylene glycol. The gel was dried at 80 oC for 18 hours and then characterized using SEM, EDX, XRD, FT-IR, Raman, TEM and PSA. The SEM micrographs showed that silica modified with ethylene glycol is less agglomerated with higher silica yield and lower particle sizes. All the silica produced showed similar functional groups and non-crystallinity. The silica nanoparticles could be used as starting materials for synthesis of silicon nanoparticles.

Additional Files

Published

2018-05-19

Issue

Vol. 15 No. 2 (2018)

Section

Articles

License

In accordance with the Copyright Act of 1976, which became effective January 1, 1978, the following statement signed by each author must accompany the manuscript submitted: "I, the undersigned author, transfer all copyright ownership of the manuscript referenced above to the Nigerian Journal of Technological Development, in the event the work is published. I warrant that the article is original, does not infringe upon any copyright or other proprietary right of any third party, is not under consideration by another journal, and has not been published previously. I have reviewed and approve the submitted version of the manuscript and agree to its publication in the Nigerian Journal of Technological Development." A copyright transfer form should be downloaded from the NJTD Website ( http://njtd.com.ng/index.php/njtd). Author(s) will be consulted, whenever possible, regarding republication of material. All authors must have access to the data presented and the authors and sponsor (if applicable) must agree to share original data with the editor if requested.