Preparation of Nano-silica and Nano-silicone

Abstract

In this research, silica and silicon were prepared using glass waste. The preparation process consisted of several stages that started with the collection of crushed glass samples, treating them physically (grinding and granular sorting) and mixing granulated crushed glass with NaOH at ratios of 1:1, 1:2 and 1:3. In a laboratory furnace, treatment at different temperatures (800, 900 and 1000 °C) was performed. Then, the sample was treated with diluted HCl (1:1) with heating to 60 °C to isolate the silica; after that, it was treated at 900 °C for 30 min to form SiO2 nanoparticles with a yield of 68% and a purity of up to 99.5%. The resulting silica (SiO2) was characterised by XRD and AFM techniques. Results from the two- and three-dimensional images captured by AFM showed the formation of silica nanotubes with a surface roughness (Ra) of 78 nm. Silicon nanoparticles were prepared from silica by mixing it with magnesium at a ratio of 1:2. The mixture was then treated at different temperatures (700, 750, 800 and 900 °C), treated with HCl, treated with HF to get rid of the secondary compounds and heated to 800 °C to obtain silicon with a yield of 90%. Analysis using XRD and AFM techniques proved the formation of silicon nanostructure with an Ra of 286 nm. KEYWORDS glass, industrial waste, magnesiothermic reduction, nanotechnology, silica, silicon