Preparation and Characterization of Active SiO2 from Cymbopogon citratus Ash Calcined at Different Temperature

Abstract

Cymbopogon citratus or lemon grass, is a potential renewable herbaceous biomass alternative. Lemon grass contains silica, which is available for extraction as a filler for various applications. Lemon grass ash is produced at calcination temperatures of 0, 400, 525, 600, and 700 ˚C. The silica content of the lemon grass ash was characterized by X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microcopy (SEM), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis. The shape and texture of the lemon grass ash were studied by SEM. The highest silica content recorded was 24.00% for lemon grass calcined at 400 °C. The porosity of the lemon grass ash increased as the calcination temperature increased from 0 °C to 700 °C. XRD analysis showed that the crystallinity of silica in the lemon grass ash increased with increasing calcination temperature. FTIR analysis confirmed the presence of organic structure in lemon grass without calcination and the inorganic structure of siloxane and silanol bonds present in lemon grass calcined at different temperatures.

Keywords

• Silica
• Inorganic compounds
• Mechanical treatment
• Crystallinity