Reverse microemulsion mediated sol–gel synthesis of lithium silicate nanoparticles under ambient conditions: Scope for CO 2 sequestration

Abstract

We report on the synthesis of nanocrystalline lithium silicate by coupling of sol–gel method in reverse microemulsion. The sample calcined at 800 °C gives pure phase lithium metasilicate nanocrystallites. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy confirmed the formation of nanocrystalline lithium silicate particles with a narrow size distribution. The nanoparticle prepared in the microemulsion shows enhanced CO 2 sorption capacity and shorter retention times at higher temperature ( ∼ 131 ml / g at STP at 610 °C) which are better than the best known results.