A Simple Method for the Production of Pure Crystalline Silica from Lemon Grass

Abstract

Lemon grass is an inexpensive raw material that can be used to produce natural silica. A method using hydrochloric acid (HCl) leaching followed by thermal combustion at 600 °C was developed to produce purified silica from lemon grass. Acid leaching temperatures of 33, 50, 80, and 110 °C were used. The silica content of the lemon grass ash was characterized using X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis. The shape and texture of the lemon grass ash were studied using SEM. The highest silica content (98.59%) was produced by lemon grass that had been treated at the highest leaching temperature (110 °C). Other elements that were found in the lemon grass ash were magnesium, calcium, potassium, and chlorine. XRD analysis showed that the crystallinity of the silica in treated lemon grass ash increased with increasing leaching temperature. The FTIR analysis confirmed the presence of siloxane and silanol bonds in lemon grass that was calcined at different leaching temperatures.

Nanostructured silica particles from Cymbopogon flexuosus (Nees ex Steud.): extraction, characterization and study of their blend with osteoporotic drugs

“…1, 2, 3). Earlier reports revealed that the amorphous form of silica is usually pure and has small particle size and high surface area [14]. The present study showed that the treated ash obtained from all the three (Fig.…”

“…The leaf, stem and root of C. flexuosus were collected and washed to remove impurities and further dried at 105 °C for 24 h. The samples were soaked separately in 5 M HCl at different temperatures of 40-100 °C for 3 h. The acidtreated samples were rinsed with distilled water thrice and dried in oven at 105 °C for overnight. The dried samples were calcined at 600 °C until it turned to white ash [14].…”

Predicting Social Emotions based on Textual Relevance for News Documents

“…1, 2, 3). Earlier reports revealed that the amorphous form of silica is usually pure and has small particle size and high surface area [14]. The present study showed that the treated ash obtained from all the three parts of C. flexuosus contained predominantly silica particles and no original compounds were observed.…”

Two-Step Conversion of Neem (Azadirachta indica) Seed Oil into Fatty Methyl Esters Using a Heterogeneous Biomass-Based Catalyst: An Example of Cocoa Pod Husk

“…The spectra obtained are displayed in spectra a−c of Figure 2, which show numerous adsorption bands. The weak bands observed in spectra a and b of Figures 2 at 3200−3300 cm −1 are assigned to the strong H−OH stretch or Si−OH, 43 while bands at 1654, 1396, 1200, and 1122 cm −1 are assigned to carbonate C−O stretching and bending vibrations, 19 which suggest the presence of carbonate. The band at about 1396 cm −1 is distinct for K 2 CO 3 .…”