Proximate Analysis and Physicochemical Properties of

Sugarcane Bagasse, Cassava Periderm and Maize Stalk

J. A. Adebisi1,2,6, J. O. Agunsoye1, S. A. Bello3, M. M. Ramakokovhu4, M. O.
Daramola5, M. Haris6, S. B. Hassan1
1
Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engg, University of Lagos, Nigeria
2
Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engg, University of Ilorin, Nigeria
Department Materials Science and Engineering, Kwara State University, Nigeria
3

4
Department of Chemical, Metallurgical and Materials Engg, TUT, South Africa
5
School of Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering, Wits, South Africa
6
Department of Physics, Karunya University, Coimbatore 641 114, India

International Workshop on Advanced Functional Nanomaterials (IWAN 4),

Centre for Nanoscience and Technology, Anna University, Chennai. 1
http://animagro.blogspot.in/2012/09/cassava-in-malaysia.html
Aim and Justification of the work
The aim of this present work is to prepare silica feedstock for silicon
production using agricultural wastes.

Motivation
Indiscriminate disposal of numerous agricultural wastes.
Simple and inexpensive nano silica production method.

2
 Parts of cassava plant

Cassava tuber

Cassava plant
Cassava periderm (CP)
http://www.thesurvivalgardener.com/survival-plant-
profile-cassava-king-of/ Typical cassava processing routes 3
Sources of Silica
Quartz Quartz + Sodium carbonate + high temp. Sodium silicate

Sodium silicate, water glass, tetraethoxyl-silane (TEOS)

Sodium silicate + sulphuric acid Silica

Agricultural wastes [see review by Adebisi et al. (2017)]

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 Applications of Amorphous
Silica
Toothpaste Stardust spacecraft
(abrasive) Desiccant (extraterrestrial
particle collector)

Medicine (drug, Silicon

extraction of DNA precursor (Si PV
Silica cells)
& RNA)

Food & Electronics

Pharmaceutica (capacitor, heat
l (flow agent) sink/insulator)
5
Nanoparticle Synthesis
Bottom up Top down
pyrolysis
Milling
Inert gas condensation Attrition
Solvothermal reaction

Sol-gel fabrication

Structured media

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Method
Pre-treatment Silica Production

Washing/rinsing and drying Calcination

Acid leaching Acid leaching

Washing/rinsing and drying Sol-gel extraction

(CP, HCl, distilled water) Filtration and Drying

(TCP, NaOH, HCl)

Flow diagram of silica nanoparticle synthesis 7

 Chemistry of method used
Acid leaching: metals/oxides dissolve in acidic medium (effervescent)

Calcination: high temperature + air oxides/silicates

Dissolving an impure silica in alkaline medium

(1)

Precipitation

(2)

Drying: removal of water by evaporation/heat

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Work done

9
Results
Thermal behaviour

moisture hemicellulose
loss and cellulose lignin lignin

10
Thermographs (DTG and TG) of cassava periderm
Neutrality and composition of CP during acid leaching
pH Mass (g)
Initial Final Initial Final
Sample 1 -0.24 -0.24 1.000 0.923
Sample 2 -0.24 -0.24 1.000 0.921
Sample 3 -0.24 -0.24 1.000 0.921

Composition (at. %)
C O Na Mg Al Si S Cl K Ca Ti Fe
CP 55.75 35.01 << << 2.66 3.68 << << << 1.86 << 1.04

TCP 54.86 40.07 0.38 0.05 1.73 2.16 0.08 0.14 0.29 0.06 0.04 0.12
<< below detection 11
Structure of CP

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XRD of treated and untreated cassava periderms
 Calcination and Leaching
Composition (at. %)
C O Na Mg Al Si P S Cl K Ca Ti Fe Cu Zn
CPA 9.23 66.13 0.56 2.11 3.89 5.96 0.36 0.24 0.15 3.96 6.44 0.22 0.75 9.23 <<

LCPA 6.86 70.68 << 0.43 3.59 15.04 << << << 1.68 << 0.26 1.46 << <<

TCPA 5.96 65.70 0.47 1.83 5.56 8.38 0.41 0.29 0.26 4.72 5.13 0.20 1.08 << <<

LTCPA 5.51 72.68 << 0.43 5.42 12.29 0.49 << << 0.86 0.34 0.45 1.16 0.18 0.2
<< below detection

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 Structure of calcined CP

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XRD of untreated and treated cassava periderm ashes before and after leaching with HCl
Morphological structure of silica
produced

a a'

b b'
SEM micrographs of silica xerogel from (a) LCPA and (b) LTCPA 15
Compositions of silica
Composition (at. %)
C O Na Al Si P
CP-Silica 5.21 71.54 - 4.18 17.6 1.46
TCP-Silica 10.65 61.9 0.83 10.39 13.95 2.29

Unwanted elements jeopardize the purity of silica obtained

Untreated CP gave better purity silica

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Structure of silica

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XRD of silica xerogels from LTCPA (TCP-Silica) and LCPA (CP-Silica)
Conclusions &
Recommendations
Amorphous silica nanoparticles have been successfully synthesized
and characterized
Agglomeration has been observed in the samples
Low purity of the synthesized silica is still a concern

The work is in progress to solve agglomeration and purity challenges.

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Acknowledgement

Institute of NanoEngineering Research (INER), Tshwane University of

Technology, Pretoria, South Africa
Research Training Fellowship for Developing Country Scientists (RTF-
DCS) by Centre for Science & Technology of the Non-Aligned and
Other Developing Countries (NAM S&T Centre)

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Thanks for
listening
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