Title: A novel method for high volume production of nano silica from rice husk: process development and product characteristics

Authors: Benjamin Iyenagbe Ugheoke; Othman Mamat

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Bandar Seri Iskandar, 31750, Tronoh, Perak, Malaysia. ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Bandar Seri Iskandar, 31750, Tronoh, Perak, Malaysia

Abstract: One problem with research on nanoparticles production is the lack of scalability from laboratory to levels of production necessary for commercial or industrial applications at low cost. Several methods, which often involve the use of chemicals, have been employed to produce silica nanoparticles from rice husk, but output levels cannot be said to meet industry requirements. This paper reports the design of a novel method – hydro thermo-baric processing, which was used to produce high purity silica from rice husk. The process factors were optimised using the method of factorial design of experiments. The produced nanoparticles were characterised using XRF, XRD, FESEM and EDX. XRD results show that the silica produced, which by XRF analysis had approximately 99% purity, is amorphous in nature. FESEM images showed that the particles have nanometric size. However, EDX results show an increase in residual carbon in the silica, with increase in the processing temperature.

Keywords: nano silica; hydro thermo-baric processing; process design; optimisation; rice husks; silica nanoparticles; characterisation; nanotechnology; design of experiments; DOE; residual carbon; processing temperature; high volume production.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMATEI.2012.046898

International Journal of Materials Engineering Innovation, 2012 Vol.3 No.2, pp.139 - 155

Received: 06 Sep 2011
Accepted: 10 Dec 2011
Published online: 23 Aug 2014 *

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