Synthesis and characterization of mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNp) MCM 41 from natural waste rice husk

Rice husk contains silica up to 86.9-97.3%, it potentially as precursor silica in the synthesis process of mesoporous silica MCM 41. First, use acid leaching as pre-treatment of rice husk extraction, followed by heat treatment at 600°C in the furnace, continued with sol-gel process to get amorphous silica. Mesoporous silica was synthesizing using CTAB as surfactant to assist porous of silica MCM 41 (CTAB-templated silica). CTAB concentration were 1, 1.25 and 1.5%. Mesoporous silica nanoparticle MCM 41 synthesized by sol-gel method, followed by hydrothermal and reflux methanol + HCl. X-ray diffraction pattern showed that silica has amorphous liked-structure, indicated by peak broadening at 2-theta around 22-24°. Fourier Transformed Infrared-FTIR shown functional group of Si-O, Si-O-H, Si-O-Si, -OH, Si-H, and Si-OH bond have been identified. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) shown particle agglomeration and particle sizes range between 311-482 nm. The desorption adsorption nitrogen analysis (BET analysis) showed that surface area and pore diameter at 1%, 1.25% and 1.5% CTAB have surface area 552.429 m²/g, 768.947 m²/g and 705.501 m²/g. In hence pore diameters are 3.4178 nm, 3.0517 nm and 3.4098 nm respectively.