The surface structure of nanosilica produced from sodium silicate by the carbonation process

Abstract

CO2 was used to prepare nanosilica particles through a carbonization reaction in a Na2SiO3 solution, aiming to convert CO2 into value-added products. The relationship between the specific structure of the as-prepared nanosilica and the sodium silicate concentration, reaction temperature, reaction time, and aging time was explored by TEM, BET, and XRD analysis. The growth process of nanosilica particles was relatively slow with the increase in the Na2SiO3 concentration, which resulted in the formation of large primary particles, reducing the specific surface area. The decreasing temperature reduced the polymerization of Si(OH)4 and SiOSi(OH)3, reducing the specific surface area. Meanwhile, the effects of reaction time and aging time on the surface structure of silica nanoparticles were studied. Different surface structure of nanosilica particles were synthesized by controlling the carbonization process conditions, which expand the application of nanosilica products. At present, the research on the carbonization preparation of nanosilica mainly focused on the carbonization process conditions and modification technology, but the research of control mechanism of nanosilica surface structure and properties was insufficient. This study focused on the relationship between surface structure evolution and properties, and provided a theoretical basis for the mechanism of the influence factors of preparation process on the structure evolution of prepared nanosilica. And the process reduced CO2 emission, which had important environmental protection value.