Silica extraction from bamboo leaves using alkaline extraction method

Abstract

The silica is most common constituent of bamboo leaves mainly varies from 75.90 to 82.86 %.In this study, silica was extracted from bamboo leaves using an alkaline extractionprocess. In proximate analysis, bamboo leaves were found to contain significantly more ash (24.5 %) containing 79.28 % silica and low levels of fixed carbon. However, in ultimate analysis, bamboo leaves were found to contain 57.56 % oxygen.The yield and quality of silica were improved by extracting silica from bamboo leaves ash under various operating conditions.A higher concentration of NaOH (2.5 N) resulted in a greater yield of silica (97.73 %).During the alkaline process, an acid leaching treatment was used toremove metal impurities either from bamboo leaves ash or extracted silica. The silica yield increased from 97.73 % to 98.86 % after acid leaching of feed. In an FTIR analysis, Si-O-Si, Si-O, and Si-OH bonds were identified. Modern characterization techniques such as XRF were used to determine the purity of silica. There is a significant difference between the maximum purity of acid leached silica samples (96.13 %) and that of commercial silica samples (95.52 %).As a result of this study, silica that has a wide range of applications in the food and nutrition industries, the pharmaceutical industry, and as a nano-catalyst could be produced.