Synthesis of microforsterite using derived-amorphous-silica of silica sands

Synthesis of microforsterite (Mg₂SiO₄) has been successfully done by a simple method benefiting of the local silica sands from Tanah Laut, Indonesia. The starting material was amorphous silica powder which was processed using coprecipitation method from the sands. The silica powder was obtained from a series of stages of the purification process of the sands, namely magnetic separation, grinding and soaking with HCl. The microforsterite synthesis followed the reaction of stoichiometric mole ratio mixing of 1:2 of the amorphous silica and MgO powders with 3 wt% addion of PVA as a catalyst.The mixture was calcined at temperatures between 1150-1400°C with 4 hours holding time. XRD data showed that calcination at a temperature of 1150°C for 4 hours was optimum where the weight fraction of forsterite can reach as much as 93 wt% with MgO as the secondary phase and without MgSiO₃. SEM photograph of the microforsterite showed tapered morphology with a relatively homogeneous distribution.