SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF MESOPOROUS SILICA MCM-41 AND SBA-15 FROM POWER PLANT BOTTOM ASH

Abstract

Silica was extracted from power plant bottom ash by alkali fusion method and used to synthesize MCM-41 and SBA-15. As comparison, MCM-41 and SBA-15 were synthesized by using tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) as pure silica source. All synthesized MCM-41 and SBA-15 were characterized using X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and nitrogen adsorption to determine the formation of hexagonal pores, Field Emission Scanning Electron Micrograph (FESEM) was used to observe their morphology while Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to obtain the functional group and removal of surfactant after calcinations. XRD results confirmed bottom ash MCM-41 (BA MCM-41), pure SBA-15 (PSBA-15) and bottom ash SBA-15 (BA SBA-15) have well-ordered mesostructures. N2 adsorption of pure MCM-41 (PMCM-41), PSBA-15 and BA SBA-15 indicated type IV isotherm while BA MCM-41 exhibit type III isotherm. According to FESEM analyses, the particle morphology of bottom ash mesoporous silica was different from those prepared using pure chemical. Morphology of PMCM-41 and PSBA15 showed rod like particle while BA MCM-41 and BA SBA-15 exhibited agglomerated particle. PMCM-41, PSBA-15 and BA SBA-15 shows ordered hexagonal, high surface area and narrow pore distribution.