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Synthesis and characterization of nano-silica from locally available laterite clay

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 March 2024

Safeena Khattak ,
Saeed Gul ,
Sabiha Sultana  and
Noor-ul-Amin
Safeena Khattak
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry, Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan, Pakistan
Saeed Gul
Affiliation:
Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology, Peshawar, Pakistan
Sabiha Sultana
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry, Islamia College University, Peshawar, Pakistan University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, UK
Noor-ul-Amin*
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry, Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan, Pakistan
*
Corresponding author: Noor-ul-Amin; Email: noorulamin@awkum.edu.pk
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Abstract

The synthesis of nano-silica is gaining the attention of researchers due to its numerous applications in various fields such as medicine, the food industry, catalysis, agriculture and construction, amongst others, because of its unique physicochemical features. However, achieving its facile synthesis and finding inexpensive source material that is locally available requires further exploration for its large-scale production. This paper reports the synthesis and characterization of nano-silica from locally available laterite clay using the sol-gel method. The product was analysed using X-ray florescence, X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. It was observed that the product was spherical, agglomerated and amorphous in nature. The obtained nano-silica was found to have 97% and 95% purity for sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide, respectively. The synthesized nano-silica is expected to play pivotal role as a pozzolanic activator in the construction industry.

Keywords

Laterite claynano-silicapotassium hydroxidesodium hydroxidesodium silicate
Type
Article
Information
Clay Minerals , Volume 58 , Issue 4 , December 2023 , pp. 408 - 414
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of The Mineralogical Society of the United Kingdom and Ireland

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Footnotes

Associate Editor: Chunhui Zhou

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