Effect of sonication frequency in synthesis of silica aerogel-activated carbon nanocomposite

Abstract

The silica adsorption capacity can be improved by composing it with activated carbon. The study aims to know the effect of sonication frequency in the nanocomposite silica aerogel-activated carbon synthesis using sol-gel method with TMCS (trimethylchlorosilane) and HMDS (hexamethyldisilazane) as modifying agents. Synthesized nanocomposites were further characterized by means of functional groups analysis using FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrophotometry) method, morphological analysis using SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy) method, and surface area analysis using BET (Brunauer-Emmet-Teller) method. The results of functional group analysis using FTIR shows that nanocomposite has a group of Si - OH, Si - O - Si, Si – C, C - H, C = O, C – O, the peaks around of 3300 cm−1, 1051 cm−1 - 1180 cm−1, 1253 cm−1, 2960 cm−1, 1649 cm−1, 1417 cm−1; morphological analysis using SEM indicates that nanocomposite synthesis with 42 kHz frequency sonication has a smaller particle size than 35 kHz frequency, where are the surface area analysis using BET method obtained 674.897 m! / g at frequency of 42 kHz and 486.909 m2 / g synthesis at frequency of 35 kHz.