Synthesis and characterization of nano silica from Iraqi sand by chemical precipitation with different acid types

• Main Authors: Shakir, Firdews, Hussein, Hussein Q., Abdulwahhab, Zeinab T.
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acetic acid; Chemical precipitation; Diameters; Distilled water; Fourier transforms; Hydrochloric acid; Hydrogen bonding; Infrared spectra; Inorganic acids; Nanoparticles; Particle size distribution; Sand; Silicon dioxide; Siloxanes; Sodium hydroxide; Stability analysis; Structural analysis; Sulfuric acid; Thermal stability; Thermogravimetric analysis; Weight loss
• ISSN: 0094-243X; 1551-7616
• DOI: 10.1063/5.0107741

The present work is concerned with the preparation of Nano silica from Iraqi sand and studies the influence of different organic and inorganic acids on characteristics using the chemical precipitation method. The materials included silica - sand, sodium hydroxide, sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, acetic acid, and distilled water. Three samples of silica nanoparticles were collected and characterized by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). Structure analysis revealed that all the samples of Nano silica powder had an amorphous structure in nature. They also have a wide peak at 2Θ= (22 - 23°) for each sample. The particle size distribution was measured using an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM), and the results revealed that the best average diameter was 61 nm, with a dimension range of 35-80 nm. While Brunner Emmett Teller (BET) for three samples analysis confirms a high surface area of approximately 560.86 m²/g. The inclusion of hydrogen-bonded silanol groups (Si–O–H) and siloxane groups (Si–O–Si) in the Fourier Transform Infrared spectra (FTIR) experimental results demonstrated the high purity of silica nanoparticles. Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) study findings demonstrated the thermal stability of the Nanosilica by a lower overall weight loss of 11.74%.