Application Of Nanosilica Research Articles

Evaluating the effects of rice husk derived nanosilica on growth, photosynthesis, and antioxidant activity in hybrid maize

Drought stress was exacerbated by changing climatic conditions and impact the plant water relations from the cellular to whole plant level, thereby reducing the crop productivity and causing economic losses in agriculture. The present study was aimed to explore the potentials of nanosilica synthesized from rice husk in improving growth and drought stress tolerance in maize. Synthesized nanosilica from rice husk has spherical morphology, amorphous structure, siloxane bonding and higher purity (99.1 %). Soil application of varied levels of synthesized nanosilica (0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 30 and 40 mg kg−1) was tested with hybrid maize plants grown under irrigated and drought stress (100 and 50 % field capacity, respectively). The results of the study revealed that, drought stress has adverse effect on plant growth, biomass production and physiological parameters. However soil application of nanosilica has significantly improved growth, physiological and biochemical attributes of both irrigated and drought stressed plants. Nanosilica application at 20 mg kg−1 for irrigated and 30 mg kg−1 for drought stressed hybrid maize plants has recorded higher plant height, biomass, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, phenols, soluble proteins and considerably decreased the proline, electrolyte leakage and melondialdehyde content in hybrid maize. In contrary, higher doses of nanosilica (>30 mg kg−1) caused a slight reduction in plant growth and antioxidant activity under both the water regimes. Hence, we conclude that, soil application of 20 and 30 mg kg−1 nanosilica synthesized from rice husk had a positive effect on plant growth and development besides aided in mitigating drought stress.

Individual and combinatorial application of nanosilica and carbon nanoparticles alleviate nickel stress in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.): Impacts on gene expression, AsA − GSH cycle, cellular fractionation, and proline metabolism

Nanotechnology is grabbing great attention all over the world because of its stimulating use in numerous fields, and the nanosilica (nSi) and carbon nanoparticles (CNPs) application has been examined in various studies. Conversely, the nSi and CNPs combinatorial use is a new method and researched in limited literature. For this purpose, a pot experiment was conducted to examine various growth and biochemical parameters in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) under the toxic concentration of nickel (Ni) i.e., 200 mg kg−1 which were primed with combined application of two NPs of nSi at 3 mM and CNPs i.e., 200 μM respectively. The results showed that the Ni toxicity in the soil showed a significantly (P < 0.05) declined in the growth, gas exchange attributes, sugars, AsA-GSH cycle, cellular fractionation, proline metabolism in H. vulgare. However, Ni toxicity significantly (P < 0.05) increased oxidative stress biomarkers, enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidants including their gene expression in H. vulgare. Although, the application of nSi and CNPs showed a significant (P < 0.05) increase in the plant growth and biomass, gas exchange characteristics, enzymatic and non-enzymatic compounds and their gene expression and also decreased the oxidative stress, and Ni uptake. In addition, individual or combined application of nSi and CNPs enhanced the cellular fractionation and decreases the proline metabolism and AsA−GSH cycle in H. vulgare. These results open new insights for sustainable agriculture practices and hold immense promise in addressing the pressing challenges of heavy metal contamination in agricultural soils.

Nano silica-mediated stabilization of heavy metals in contaminated soils

Soil contamination with heavy metals presents a substantial environmental peril, necessitating the exploration of innovative remediation approaches. This research aimed to investigate the efficiency of nano-silica in stabilizing heavy metals in a calcareous heavy metal-contaminated soil. The soil was treated with five nano-silica levels of 0, 100, 200, 500, and 1000 mg/kg and incubated for two months. The results showed that nano-silica had a specific surface area of 179.68 m2/g\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$${\ ext{m}}^{2}/\ ext{g}$$\\end{document}. At 1000 mg/kg, the DTPA-extractable concentrations of Pb, Zn, Cu, Ni, and Cr decreased by 12%, 11%, 11.6%, 10%, and 9.5% compared to the controls, respectively. Additionally, as the nano-silica application rate increased, both soil pH and specific surface area increased. The augmentation of nano-silica adsorbent in the soil led to a decline in the exchangeable (EX) and carbonate-bound fractions of Pb, Cu, Zn, Ni, and Cr, while the distribution of heavy metals in fractions bonded with Fe–Mn oxides, organic matter, and residue increased. The use of 1000 mg/kg nano-silica resulted in an 8.0% reduction in EX Pb, 4.5% in EX Cu, 7.3% in EX Zn, 7.1% in EX Ni, and 7.9% in EX Cr compared to the control treatment. Overall, our study highlights the potential of nano silica as a promising remediation strategy for addressing heavy metal pollution in contaminated soils, offering sustainable solutions for environmental restoration and ecosystem protection.

Maize stalks derived nanosilica: Synthesis, characterization and its kinetics in soil

Aim: The current study aimed to synthesize nanosilica from maize stalks at various calcination temperatures and to evaluate silicon release pattern in soil. Methodology: Nanosilica was synthesized by sol-gel method through thermal decomposition (500-700 oC) of maize stalks and evaluated for silicon release with varied levels (0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40 mg kg-1) through an incubation experiment and the data obtained was fitted in various kinetic models. Results: Nanosilica synthesized from maize stalks calcined at 700 oC showed spherical morphology with little agglomeration, amorphous nature and higher purity than the products obtained at 500 oC and 600 oC. Incubation experiment revealed that application of nanosilica at 40 mg kg-1 increased the available silicon upto 60 days with slight decrease at 80 days. The silicon release pattern from nanosilica was fitted in kinetic equations and observed that pseudo-second order equation describes the silicon release in a better way than other models. Interpretation: The present study showed a sustainable approach to convert maize stalks into valuable nanosilica, addressing the pressing issue of agri-waste management. The nanosilica synthesized from maize stalks calcined at 700oC exhibited promising characteristics and good silicon release pattern which can be alternatively used as a fertilizer source in agriculture. Key words: Agglomeration, Available silicon, Kinetics, Maize stalks, Nanosilica

Nano silica’s role in regulating heavy metal uptake in Calendula officinalis

BackgroundSoil contamination with heavy metals poses a significant threat to plant health and human well-being. This study explores the potential of nano silica as a solution for mitigating heavy metal uptake in Calendula officinalis.ResultsGreenhouse experiments demonstrated, 1000 mg•kg− 1 nano silica caused a 6% increase in soil pH compared to the control treatment. Also in 1000 mg. kg− 1 nano silica, the concentrations of available Pb (lead), Zn (zinc), Cu (copper), Ni (nickel), and Cr (chromium) in soil decreased by 12%, 11%, 11.6%, 10%, and 9.5%, respectively, compared to the control. Nano silica application significantly reduces heavy metal accumulation in C. officinalis exposed to contaminated soil except Zn. In 1000 mg.kg− 1 nano silica shoots Zn 13.28% increased and roots Zn increased 13% compared to the control treatment. Applying nano silica leads to increase the amount of phosphorus (P) 25%, potassium (K) 26% uptake by plant, In 1000 mg.kg − 1 treatment the highest amount of urease enzyme activity was 2.5%, dehydrogenase enzyme activity, 23.6% and the highest level of alkaline phosphatase enzyme activity was 13.5% higher than the control treatment.ConclusionNano silica, particularly at a concentration of 1000 mg.kg − 1, enhanced roots and shoots length, dry weight, and soil enzyme activity Moreover, it increased P and K concentrations in plant tissues while decreasing heavy metals uptake by plant.

Application of nanosilica in the construction industry: A bibliometric analysis using Methodi Ordinatio

The number of publications related to the implementation of nanotechnology in the construction industry, and specifically to the application of nanosilica (SiO2), has had a constant increase in recent years. Based on this, in the present work, an analysis was carried out using bibliometric techniques, with the aim at characterizing the development of specialized literature and identifying the largest areas of growth in the field, maintaining hydrophobic nanosilica as the research guideline. This analysis acquired information from the Scopus and Web of Science (WoS) databases to compare bibliometric indicators of the publications. It should be noted that, even though bibliometric analysis is useful to identify the study areas of greatest interest, to complement this work, the implementation of a method that helped in the research process to obtain the most important bibliography was required. This study implemented Methodi Ordinatio, which helped to take a new direction. Therefore, based on this method, a list of articles cataloged and ranked is obtained, which is the basis for integrating the final bibliographic portfolio.•The study applies the Methodi Ordinatio to obtain a portfolio of the most relevant articles to guide the researchers’ work.•Insightful information can be obtained using VOSviewer to analyze and visualize metadata of the bibliographic portfolio.•The study demonstrates how the alpha value in the InOrdinatio formula modifies the resulting portfolio.

Improvement in physio-biochemical characteristics of shallot plants with nano silica at several levels of drought stress

Plants are stressed if the environment in which they grow changes, which can reduce the rate of vegetative and generative growth and finally the production of plant. One of the factors that causes stress in plants is the availability of water which greatly influences the productivity of shallot plants as shown by changes in physiological and biochemical characters. Analysis of physiobiochemical characteristics of shallots for the application of nano silica at several levels of water stress is the aim of this research. Parameters analyzed at the Central Pharmacy Research Laboratory Faculty of Pharmacy, Tissue Culture Laboratory and Disease Laboratory, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Sumatera Utara, November 2022 to March 2023. This study used RBCD with 2 treatment factors. The first factor namely water stress condition (80, 60 and 40% field capacity). The second factor namely the application of nano silica which consisted of 4 levels of concentration (0, 6, 12 and 18 g/l). The results showed that the addition of water based on field capacity at 80% optimal conditions significantly increasing chlorophyll a, b, and total, leaf relative water content, H2O2 and SOD enzymes. Application of nanosilica at concentration of 18 g/l significantly increased chlorophyll a, b and total.

Experimental investigation on static and dynamic properties of nanosilica modified cement soil

It has been proved that nanosilica can improve the mechanical properties of cement soil, however, the static and dynamic properties of nanosilica modified cement soil and dispersion method study of nanosilica in cement soil were few, thereby investigated by unconfined compression test and dynamic triaxial test in this study. A series of unconfined compression test results indicated that the dispersion method of nanosilica is of importance in the strength of nanosilica modified cement soil (NCS), and soaking in water for 24 h is the optimal dispersion method among designed methods. Unconfined compressive strength (UCS) increases with increasing nanosilica content in the range of 0 to 0.4%, and then reduces gradually while nanosilica content is beyond 0.4%. The optimal nanosilica content can be seen as 0.4%, and the corresponding UCS at the curing age of 7 d is 960 kPa, which increases by 47.2% comparing to the specimen without nanosilica. Dynamic triaxial test reveals that the variation of the cumulative plastic axial strain and dynamic elastic modulus versus nanosilica content are same and opposite to UCS respectively, and the minimum of the cumulative plastic axial strain and maximum of dynamic elastic modulus are obtained while nanosilica content is 0.4%, which reduces by 48.1% and increases by 69.8% respectively comparing to the specimen without nanosilica. Finally, a simple and practical prediction model is developed to capture the evolution of the cumulative plastic axial strain with cycle number, and its simulation effect is validated by dynamic triaxial test results. It is believed that this paper finds an efficient dispersion method of nanosilica in cement soil, and provides the dynamic properties of nanosilica modified cement soil, which can promote practical application of nanosilica in road engineering.

Exploring The Advancement Enabled By Nano-silica In Cement-based Materials: A Comprehensive Review

At present, the focus of current research lies predominantly in unraveling the fundamental science of cementitious materials at the nano and atomic levels. Simultaneously, researchers are working diligently to enhance the durability and sustainability of concrete, leading to a significant improvement in the mechanical properties of cementitious materials through the incorporation of nano-silica. This review paper aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the influence of nano-silica addition on the mechanical, durability and microstructural characteristics of paste, mortar and concrete. It also offers insight into the current developments in the application of nano-silica in these materials. Lastly, the paper discusses the potential future trends and implications of using nano-silica in cement-based materials.

Influence of rice husk ash-derived silica nanoparticles on sweetcorn (Zea mays L. sachharata) seed germination

In agriculture, the utilization of nanomaterials has garnered significant global attention. This research adopts a pioneering approach to investigate the influence of nanosilica on the germination dynamics of sweetcorn seeds. The present study aimed to synthesize and analyze an amorphous nano-silica material using rice husk ash (RHA) and its impact on the germination of sweetcorn seeds (Zea mays L. sachharata). The extracted nano-silica particles dispersed into six rates of suspensions (0, 100, 200, 300, 400 and 500 ppm) were used to study their effects on seed germination. The synthesized amorphous nano-silica was determined for size, shape, and elemental content. The amorphous nature of the silica sample was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy-selected area electron diffraction (ED) patterns and X-ray diffraction (XRD), whereas siloxane and silanol groups were mainly detected by Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. Image obtained using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed the presence of original nanoparticles alongside secondary microparticles, probably due to agglomeration. Particles in the extracted amorphous silica had an average diameter of 35 nm. Nano-silica powder was amorphous, according to XRD. As per the EDS analysis, the extracted silica sample is 96.87 % pure. The amorphous nano-silica significantly boosted germination metrics such as germination percentage, germination index, vigour index, and mean germination time of sweetcorn. With the addition of 300 ppm nano-silica, the germination percentage increased by 40.1%, the germination index by 96%, and the vigor index by 120% over control seeds. The improvement of seed germination by amorphous nano-silica in sweetcorn implies a potential application of nano-silica in seed germination.

Improvement in Physiobiochemical and Yield Characteristics of Pea Plants with Nano Silica and Melatonin under Salinity Stress Conditions

The effect of nano silica (50 mL L−1) and melatonin (75 µM) individually or in combination in foliar applications on the morphophysiological, biochemical and yield properties of pea plants under salinity stress conditions was evaluated. Salt stress caused a remarkable decrease in the growth and yield characteristics; for example, the plant dry weight, plant height, number of flowers plant−1, number of pods plant−1, weight of 100 green seeds and protein concentration in the pea plants during both seasons were decreased compared with the control. Similarly, their physiobiochemical characteristics were negatively affected; chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and the relative water content (RWC) were significantly reduced in the stressed pea plants. However, malondialdehyde (MDA), hydrogen peroxide, the electrolyte leakage (EL%), super oxide and the antioxidant components (catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POX) and total phenolic compounds) were significantly increased when the plants were under salt stress compared with the control plants. On the other hand, the foliar application of nano silica and melatonin individually or in combination enhanced the physiobiochemical characteristics, morphological characteristics and yield of the stressed pea plants. The best treatment was the combination treatment (nano silica + melatonin), which caused significant increases in the plant dry weight, plant height, number of flowers and pods plant−1, weight of 100 green seeds, protein concentration, chlorophyll concentrations and RWC in the stressed pea plants. Additionally, the combination treatment significantly decreased the EL%, MDA, O2⋅− and H2O2 and adjusted the upregulation of the antioxidant enzymes, proline and total phenolic compounds in the stressed plants compared with the stressed untreated pea plants. Generally, it can be suggested that the co-application of nano silica (50 mL L−1) + melatonin (75 µM) plays a positive role in alleviating the adverse impacts of salinity on pea plants by modifying the plant metabolism and regulating the antioxidant defense system as well as scavenging reactive oxygen species.

Application of nano-silica in offshore oil wells cementation

The oil and gas market is worth billions of dollars annually. Costs increase throughout the drilling process, from initial exploration through improved oil recovery and production (EOR). Exploration, drilling, cementation, production, enhanced oil recovery (EOR), and other areas of the oil and gas industry stand to benefit greatly from nanotechnology. Nanotechnology may help alleviate some issues with cement slurry. Nano-silica is an excellent alternative to commonly used additives like calcium. Since the quantity of nano-silica needed varies from that of Calcium, chloride and silica are employed instead. Both chloride and silica have very little differences. Nano-silica can be used for a variety of purposes. Cement slurry with nano-silica added has a shorter thickening time, higher compressive strength, lower porosity and permeability, and less fluid loss. Maximum cementation and well integrity can be achieved with nano-silica. Nano-silica shortens the WOC time, which in turn lowers the total capital expenditures. For extremely deep offshore wells, nano-silica is a must-have. Many people have been thinking about using nanotechnology in the oil industry recently. Strength, microstructure, and durability are just some of the cement properties that have been shown to improve when nanoparticles are included into the matrix. To achieve the goals of this study, we review the literature on the application of nanotechnology in the petroleum industry, focusing on the use of nano-silica in cementing oil wells. The effects of silica nanoparticles on the properties of both uncured and cured cement are investigated and reported. The use of nano-silica into cement improved its performance, the study found, by ensuring proper zonal isolation and lengthening well life.

Preparation, characterization, and application of nano-silica from agricultural wastes in cement mortar

Preparation, characterization, and application of nano-silica from agricultural wastes in cement mortar

Rutting Performance of Nano-Silica-Modified C320 Bitumen

Nanomaterials exhibit novel properties and profound attributes as an additive in asphalt binder modification. However, the application of nano-silica in asphalt binders and mixture modification is still limited, and further research is required. Along these lines, in this work, nano-silica with a content from 2% to 8% and an increment of 2% was utilized in modifying the bitumen binder type C320, which is considered the most conventional type of bitumen used in Western Australia road asphalt mixtures. Various tests were performed to assess their properties, including complex shear modulus, penetration, softening point, and multiple stress creep recovery (MSCR) test. The extracted results revealed an increase in the strength and stiffness properties by lowering the penetration, improving the softening point, and increasing the complex shear modulus of all the nano-silica-modified bitumen samples. Interestingly, much of the content of nano-silica leads to higher rutting resistance. However, the rutting resistance was affected by the size of the nano-silica coated with the silane coupling agent. The ideal sample of nano-silica-modified C320 was determined as NS-15 nm (NS-A), which can improve the rutting resistance by about 7.1 kPa. In the current study, the results of the penetration and softening point using 6–8% of NS-A resulted in a relatively significant improvement of up to 45% in comparison with the non-modified binders. Nevertheless, the rutting resistance of the modified asphalt mixtures needs to be further investigated in the future to elaborate on the impact of nano-silica as modified binders on the mechanical properties of Australian asphalt mixtures.

Large-Scale Synthesis of Nanosilica from Silica Sand for Plant Stimulant Applications.

Nanosilica is a versatile nanomaterial suitable as, e.g., drug carriers in medicine, fillers in polymers, and fertilizer/pesticide carriers and potentially a bioavailable source of silicon in agriculture. The enhanced biological activity of nanosilica over quartz sand has been noted before; it is directly related to the altered physicochemical properties of the nanoparticles compared to those of the bulk material. Therefore, it is feasible to use nanosilica as a form of plant stimulant. Nanosilica synthesis is a relatively cheap routine process on the laboratory scale; however, it is not easily scalable. Largely for this reason, studies of nanosilica fertilizers are scarce. This study will focus on industrial-scale silica nanoparticle production and the application of nanosilica as a plant stimulant in maize. A variant of the sol-gel method is used to successfully synthesize nanosilica particles starting from silica sand. The resulting particles are in the size range of 16-37 nm with great purity. The potential of nanosilica as a plant stimulant is demonstrated with the increased quantity and quality of maize crops.

Nano-Silica-Modified Concrete: A Bibliographic Analysis and Comprehensive Review of Material Properties.

Several review studies have been performed on nano-silica-modified concrete, but this study adopted a new method based on scientometric analysis for the keywords’ assessment in the current research area. A scientometric analysis can deal with vast bibliometric data using a software tool to evaluate the diverse features of the literature. Typical review studies are limited in their ability to comprehensively and accurately link divergent areas of the literature. Based on the analysis of keywords, this study highlighted and described the most significant segments in the research of nano-silica-modified concrete. The challenges associated with using nano-silica were identified, and future research is directed. Moreover, prediction models were developed using data from the literature for the strength estimation of nano-silica-modified concrete. It was noted that the application of nano-silica in cement-based composites is beneficial when used up to an optimal dosage of 2–3% due to high pozzolanic reactivity and a filler effect, whereas a higher dosage of nano-silica has a detrimental influence due to the increased porosity and microcracking caused by the agglomeration of nano-silica particles. The mechanical strength might enhance by 20–25% when NS is incorporated in the optimal amount. The prediction models developed for predicting the strength of nano-silica-modified concrete exhibited good agreement with experimental data due to lower error values. This type of analysis may be used to estimate the essential properties of a material, therefore saving time and money on experimental tests. It is recommended to investigate cost-effective methods for the dispersion of nano-silica in higher concentrations in cement mixes; further in-depth studies are required to develop more accurate prediction models to predict nano-silica-modified concrete properties.

The application of nano silica as a potential, cost-efficient green filler in acrylonitrile butadiene rubber vulcanizates containing carboxy-terminated liquid natural rubber

The challenge of sustainable development demands renewable natural sources. Natural rubber is one of the major plantation crops in the equatorial region, where there is a tremendous scope for tapping solar energy. The carboxy-terminated liquid natural rubber (CTNR) was commercially prepared by the sunlight irradiation of a solution of maleic anhydride and masticated natural rubber. Carboxy-terminated liquid natural rubber (CTNR) can be used as a polymeric plasticizer in acrylonitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) vulcanizates. As a reinforcing filler in rubber products, bio compatible green silica is rapidly replacing carcinogenic carbon black. This paper describes the cost-effective application of eco-friendly nano silica, which can improve the tensile properties, rebound resilience, compression set, ageing and oil resistance and reduce the heat build-up of the NBR vulcanizates. The properties of nano silica–filled NBR vulcanizates containing CTNR (NS NBR -CTNR) were compared with those containing amorphous silica. The enhancement in properties, exhibited by NS NBR-CTNR vulcanizates, may be attributed to the increased bound rubber content resulting from the large surface area of the nano-sized filler. The superior retention of properties after ageing and oil extraction shown by NS NBR-CTNR vulcanizates may be due to the better rubber filler interaction, ionic crosslinking and co–cross-linking of CTNR to NBR. The use of a combination of a conventional plasticizer and CTNR in nano silica–filled NBR is found to be promising.

Impact of nanosilica on lime restoration mortars properties

This paper presents an experimental assessment of the effects of silica (SiO2) nanoparticles on the properties and performance of lime restoration mortars. Mortars were fabricated using calcareous aggregates, and two different types of limes (air, hydraulic) and different amounts of SiO2 nanoparticles. In order to isolate nanoparticles effects on mortars properties no dispersing or water reducing agents were employed. Several physical-mechanical properties, mineralogical compositions and microstructural changes of hardened samples have been investigated. It was observed that the application of nanosilica, without the usage of dispersing or water reducing agents, influenced the type of CaCO3 polymorphs formed, the carbonation rates and the pozzolanic reactions. The application of nanosilica up to 4 wt.% resulted in the improvement of the mechanical performance. It was demonstrated that the usage of nanosilica without further additives may be used to tune properties of air and hydraulic limes according to the specific requirements for restoration of objects of cultural heritage.

Effect of Some Organic Substances and Foliar Application of Nano-Silica on Physico-Chemical Soil Properties and Yield of Wheat in Salt Affected Soils

Ensuring food security under climate change scenario requisites amending degraded soils and sustainably boost staple crops yield in a biologically viable way through effective plant nutrition management strategies. Two multi-year lysimeter experiments at Sakha Agricultural Research Station, Kafr El Sheikh, Egypt, were conducted to investigate the impact of soil organic substances and foliar application of nano-Silica on physico-chemical soil properties and yield of wheat in salt affected soils (2017/18 and 2018/19 winter seasons). The experiment was executed in split plot with three replicates having organic substances (Molas (M),Compost tea (CT), K-humate (KH), M+CT, M+KH, CT + KH, M+CT+KH and control treatment in main plots while sub plots had foliar application of (tab water and nano-Silica).The results showed that physico-chemical properties (bulk density, porosity , cation exchange capacity, electrical conductivity, exchangeable sodium percentage etc.) and fertility (availability of Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium ) of the soil were significantly influenced by all organic substances, however co-application of molas+K-humate+compost tea remained unmatched. The same treatment combination also remained effective in boosting Nitrogen and protein in grain along with wheat yield during both seasons. With foliage applied nano Silica remained superior by recording the highest yield attributes and grain yield of wheat. Therefore, it is inferred that co-application of organic substances and foliage applied of nano-Silica could be developed as an effective approach to restore and conserve the soil and increase wheat productivity in salt affected soils environment arid and semi-arid regions.

Application of nano-silica in rubber modified asphalt mix made with marginal aggregates

The Global Environmental alert service has mentioned that the global requirement of natural stones has exceeded 40 billion tons annually. In such a scenario, it has become obligatory to look for an alternate aggregate for construction purposes. The present study comes up with a locally available waste material called over-burnt brick, which can be used for pavement construction. However, the lower strength of bricks can cause the structural deterioration of the pavement, and hence the asphalt mix needs to be modified with supplementary materials. Among several additives like polymers, fibers, plastics, etc., this study uses natural rubber and nano-silica (NS). Although several studies are available with crumb rubber modified bitumen, the application of natural rubber latex (NRL) is relatively rare and the hybrid application of NRL and nano-silica is the key novelty of this research. The experimental tests reveal that the binder property is greatly enhanced by the addition of NRL and nano-silica. There is almost 39% and 26.5% increment in the penetration and softening point for the modified binders. The performance test results indicate that the stability of asphalt mixes can be increased by about 33% by the addition of 6% NRL and it can be further increased by about 22% by adding 3% nano-silica in the NRL modified bitumen. The drain-down test indicates that the binder drain-down can be controlled by about 45% and 74% when the bitumen is modified by 6% NRL and 6% NRL + 3% nano-silica. A cost analysis is carried out to check the influence of these additives in the cost requirements for the preparation of modified asphalt mix using brick as aggregate. The overall study indicates the feasibility of waste bricks as a replacement of natural aggregates, and also shows the improvements achieved by using NRL and nano-silica as modifying agents.