SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF LIQUID-SILICATE FERTILIZER FROM TREATED AND UNTREATED ASH RICE HUSK; [(Sintesis dan Kajian Sifat-Sifat Baja Cecair-Silikat daripada Abu Sekam yang Dirawat dan Tidak Dirawat)]

• Published in: Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences
• Main Author: Zainal S.; Tajuddin R.H.; Yusof N.F.M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Malaysian Society of Analytical Sciences 2024
• Online Access: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85186929400&partnerID=40&md5=87a6b576c61dc88072717d561cf61e3e

Rice husk ash (RHA) is an agricultural waste material that is abundantly available in all rice-producing Asian countries. The RHA is rich in silica (Si), which can be extracted as silicate sources for many industries, such as fertilizer, building material, insulation material, or fuel. In this research, organic acid, which is a phosphoric acid (H3PO4), was used to treat RHA. RHA was treated with H3PO4 at various temperatures (60℃, 80℃, and 100℃) and molarity (1 M, 2 M, and 3 M), and followed by an extraction process of untreated and treated RHA using potassium hydroxide (KOH) at 2 and 3 hours of extraction time and 1 M and 2 M of KOH. The extracted liquid-silicate was determined by using Fourier Transfer Infra-Red (FTIR), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), and Particle Size Analyzer (PSA). The highest silica content (40.910%) in liquid-silicate fertilizer (LSF) was recorded for the treatment condition of 2 M H3PO4 at 80 °C based on the XRF result. The highest wave number was 1008.78 cm-1 from treated RHA at 2 M H3PO4 80 °C. According to PSA data, the smallest particle size (1465.9µm) was recorded after leaching with H3PO4 at 2 M 80 °C as compared to untreated RHA at 1639.75µm. © 2024, Malaysian Society of Analytical Sciences. All rights reserved.