Characterization of rice husks and the products of its thermal degradation in air or nitrogen atmosphere

Rice husk is a by-product of rice milling process and are a major waste product of the agricultural industry. They have now become a great source as a raw biomass material for manufacturing value-added silicon composite products, including silicon carbide, silicon nitride, silicon tetrachloride, pure silicon, zeolite, fillers of rubber and plastic composites, adsorbent and support of catalysts. The bulk and true densities of raw rice husk with different moisture and sizes were determined. The rice husk was subjected to pyrolysis in fluidized-bed reactor in air or nitrogen atmosphere. The products obtained were characterized by thermogravimetric and X-ray powder analysis, IR-spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and nitrogen adsorption at 77 K. The specific surface area of the products is comparable with this of γ-Al₂O₃. The kinetics of H₂SeO₃ adsorption out of aqueous solutions at 298 K was studied. The adsorption capacity of white rice husks ash was found to be higher than that of black rice husk ash and the adsorption kinetics obeyed the second order kinetic equation.     

藏在稻壳中的“硅”宝

基于工业硅高能耗的背景,以寻找"硅"宝的方式,介绍稻壳生物质资源中硅的存在状态,从能源、环境和绿色化学角度讨论如何从稻壳中提取"硅",通过展示国内外利用稻壳硅的最新科研成果,加强科学技术的普及与推广,在了解稻壳硅背后原理的过程中,强化节能环保意识,进一步激发读者深入探究绿色化学与化工的热情。     

Efficient production of nanoporous silicon carbide from rice husk at relatively low temperature

Nanoporous silicon carbide with a specific surface area of up to 186.45 m² g⁻¹ has been efficiently synthesized from waste rice husk using a magnesiothermic reduction at 950 °C as a key step. Throughout the entire process, the recovery rates of silicon, potassium and phosphorus from rice husk can reach 88.46, 91.5 and 65.5%, respectively. Turning rice husk waste into a real treasure, this promising method for producing porous SiC protects the environment and brings economic benefits.     

Effects of active silicon uptake by rice on 29Si fractionation in various plant parts

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) accumulates large amounts of silicon which improves its growth and health due to enhanced resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. Silicon uptake and loading to xylem in rice are predominantly active processes performed by transporters encoded by the recently identified genes Lsi1 (Si influx transporter gene) and Lsi2 (Si efflux transporter gene). Silicon deposition in rice during translocation to upper plant tissues is known to discriminate against the heavier isotopes ²⁹Si and ³⁰Si, resulting in isotope fractionation within the plant. We analyzed straw and husk samples of rice mutants defective in Lsi1, Lsi2 or both for silicon content and δ²⁹Si using isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) and compared these results with those for the corresponding wild‐type varieties (WT). The silicon content was higher in husk than in straw. All the mutant rice lines showed clearly lower silicon content than the WT lines (4–23% Si of WT). The δ²⁹Si was lower in straw and husk for the uptake defective mutant (lsi1) than for WT, albeit δ²⁹Si was 0.3‰ higher in husk than in straw in both lines. The effect of defective efflux (lsi2) differed for straw and husk with higher δ²⁹Si in straw, but lower δ²⁹Si in husk while WT showed similar δ²⁹Si in both fractions. These initial results show the potential of Si isotopes to enlighten the influence of active uptake on translocation and deposition processes in the plant. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Thermal kinetics and morphological investigation of alkaline treated rice husk biomass

Agro waste bio mass are creating challenges for environment in term of air pollution due to improper disposal. Rice milling is the process in which rice husk is produced as by-product. The agro-waste rice husk has tremendous potential to be used either in its raw form or in ash form. The inherent component of this waste cellulose provides enhanced properties in a reinforced composite when used as filler. Rice husk is the hard outer layer and covering rice seed, which makes reinforcement challenging in its original form. Fiber surface treatment significantly improves adhesion with matrix and various thermo chemical properties of filler as well as of composites. NaOH treatment is cost-effective and it ensures the adhesion with matrix by removal of hemicellulose and lignin. The chemical treatment of agro-waste (rice husk) is performed with 5% alkali solutions of NaOH in water. Results are compared with the properties of untreated rice husk for thermal and morphological characterizations. In the present work, we are trying to quantify the impact of chemical treatment on rice husk thermal decomposition and its kinetics. Thermogravimetric analysis and kinetics study of thermal degradation, provide key input towards pyrolysis pattern of rice husk, while FTIR and SEM analysis provide the prospects of this bio filler using a reinforcing agent to develop green composite and productive disposal. The FTIR data helps to find the possibilities of blending different bio fillers and natural fibers to find suitable reinforcing substances. The average activation energy of treated fiber is noted as 137.95 by KAS method and 108.08 by FWO method as compared to 55.56 by KAS method & 54.26 by FWO method for untreated rice husk.     

钾元素对生物质及其三组分热解的影响

采用机械混合法将KCl加入到纤维素、半纤维素、木质素以及稻壳和稻壳模拟物等生物质中,得到了一系列不同K含量的生物质样品,通过热重(TG)实验考察了K元素对生物质热解特性的影响.结果表明,K元素对生物质三组分热解特性的影响比较复杂,纤维素的最大热解失重速率随着KCl添加量的增加而降低,但KCl对半纤维素和木质素热解特性的影响不显著.无论是否添加KCl,模拟生物质的热解特性均可以认为是三组分热解的简单叠加.但酸预处理稻壳三组分间的稳定结构,导致其DTG曲线在300 ℃左右的热解峰由稻壳模拟物的尖峰变为肩峰,其热解焦炭收率也比稻壳模拟物的略低.此外,实验还采用浸渍法向酸预处理稻壳中添加了KCl.TG实验结果表明,K元素的存在对生物质热解具有一定的催化作用,但KCl的添加方式不同,生物质的热解特性有明显差别,生物质样品经机械混合添加KCl后,其热解焦炭收率呈下降趋势(纤维素除外),浸渍法添加的KCl导致酸预处理稻壳的最大热解失重速率和焦炭收率升高.     

Synthesis,Characterization, and Catalytic Behavior of Bamboo Rice Husk Ash

In this paper, we report the use of bamboo rice husk ash as an efficient, greener, reusable, and biodegradable heterogeneous catalyst for the synthesis of tetrahydro‐4H ‐chromene‐3‐carbonitriles via the one‐pot three‐component reaction of malononitrile with aromatic aldehydes and dimedone or 1,3‐cyclohexanedione. The formation of bamboo rice husk ash‐silica has been confirmed by several analytical techniques.     

Recovery Conditions,Impurity Composition,and Characteristics of Amorphous Silicon Dioxide from Wastes Formed in Rice Production

The conditions of recovery of amorphous and crystalline silicon dioxide from husk and straw of rice cultivated in various regions were studied. The dependence of the impurity composition and characteristics of amorphous silica on the plant strain, waste type, and procedures of waste processing was established. The optimum conditions of production of high-purity silicon dioxide were determined, and its characteristics were compared with those of commercial products.__________Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Khimii, Vol. 78, No. 2, 2005, pp. 324–328.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Zemnukhova, Fedorishcheva, Egorov, Sergienko.     

Thermogravimetric analysis of composites obtained from sintering of rice husk-scrap tire mixtures

Summary The disposal of used automotive tires has caused many environmental and economical problems to most countries. We propose the use of rice husk as filler for increasing the value of recycled tire rubber. Thermal degradation of both components and their sintering mixtures is presented in this paper. Thermal decomposition of rice husk occurs in various steps in the temperature range between 150 and 550°C. This complex process is the result of the overlapping of thermal decomposition of the three major constituents common in all lignocellulosic materials, i.e., hemicellulose, lignin and cellulose. Hemicellulose is degraded at temperatures between 150 and 350°C, cellulose from 275 to 380°C and lignin from 250 to 550°C. The degradation process of major constituents of scrap tires or their composites is observed at temperatures between 150 and 550°C. For composites, the addition of rice husk (maximum 25%) produces an increase in the mass loss rate. This effect is higher as the amount of rice husk increases. However, the degradation initial temperature of elastomeric matrix is not affected with addition of rice husk. Apparent kinetic parameters were also studied by the isoconversional Friedman method. We observed that the addition of rice husk produces a decrease in apparent activation energy for low conversions (up to 0.6). For higher conversions this decrease was not so clearly observed.     

A Study on the thermal destruction of rice husk in air and nitrogen atmosphere

The methods of X-ray analysis, infrared spectroscopy, differential thermal analysis and scanning electron microscopy were used in this study. The objects of the experiments were rice husk obtained during processing of rice, variety Krasnodarski 424. The rice husk was burnt in air and in non-oxygen medium at several burning temperatures. The color of the oxidized product was stipulated by the burning temperature. The X-ray analysis showed that the amorphous SiO₂ present in the rice husk begins to crystallize in the form of α-cristobalite at 850°C. Using differential thermal analysis, the thermal destruction of rice husk was studied in air and nitrogen media and the initial and final temperatures of the process were determined. The silica distribution was examined by scanning electron microscopy and infrared spectroscopic techniques.     

Determination of Au,Sb, As,Br, Na,K, Cd,Mn and Cl in rice from Vietnam by neutron activation analysis

Gold, antimony, arsenic, bromine, sodium, potassium, cadmium, manganese and chlorine were determined by neutron activation analysis in various rice seed, brand layer and husk from Vietnam. The following concentration values were found: Au 0.05–0.28 ppm, Sb 0.05–1.08 ppm, As 0.08–0.94 ppm, Br 0.82–6.72 ppm, Na 16.71–25, 71 ppm, K 2582–5163 ppm, MN 19.26–33.43 ppm, Cd 0.51–2.42 ppm and Cl 205.20–828.61 ppm in rice seed. These elements were also determined in brand layer and rice husk. Statistically significant differences /t=0.05/ in Au, Sb, Cd contents were detected in rice seed and rice husk, as well as brand layer with rice husk.     

A review on recent advances in the comprehensive application of rice husk ash

Research on Chemical Intermediates - Rice husk ash, which is rich in non-crystalline silica, is a by-product material obtained from the combustion of rice husk. Because rice husk ash is available...     

Residual level of dimethachlon in rice‐paddy field system and cooked rice determined by gas chromatography with electron capture detector

In this study, a modified quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged and safe method coupled with gas chromatography with electron capture detection was established to determine dimethachlon residues in paddy soil, rice husk, rice straw, brown rice and cooked rice. The limits of quantification of dimethachlon were 0.01 mg/kg for paddy soil, brown rice and cooked rice and 0.02 mg/kg for rice straw and rice husk. The mean recoveries were in the range 78.59–104.7% with relative standard deviation values of <10% for dimethachlon in the five matrices. For field experiments, the final residues of dimethachlon in paddy soil were < 0.05 mg/kg and were < 1.21 mg/kg in rice straw from six sites. The final residues of dimethachlon in the brown rice at 21, 28 and 35 days after spraying from six sites were 0.08–7.58 mg/kg, and 0.16–30.1 mg/kg in rice husk. Our six test sites covered the main rice–producing areas of China. The routine rice cooking process of a Chinese family could apparently increase the removal of dimethachlon in rice compared with brown rice, and the reduction ratios were > 96%.     

Production of High Purity Amorphous Silica from Rice Husk

Combustion of the rice husk produces rice husk ash, which consists of mainly silica. High purity silica can be produced by controlled combustion after acid treatment. In this study, leaching of rice husk with hydrochloric acid and sulfuric acid were carried out prior to combustion to obtain purer silica. It was found that pre-treatment of the rice husk with sulfuric acid had accelerated the hydrolysis and decomposition of organic components as revealed by thermogravimetry (TG) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analyses. In a systematic study, the combustion of un-leached, hydrochloric acid-leached and sulfuric acid-leached rice husks were performed in a muffle furnace at 500, 600, 700, 800 and 900^oC for 2 h. Results demonstrated that all the samples produced amorphous silica (SiO₂) and the average particle size were in the range of 0.50 to 0.70 μm. The effect of combustion at different temperatures between 500^oC and 900^oC on the silica production is very small, particularly at temperature above 600^oC. Thus, amorphous silica with purity above 99% as confirmed by X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) analysis can be produced by hydrochloric and sulfuric acids leaching of the rice husk, followed by controlled combustion at 600^oC for 2 h. The BET surface area of the silica produced after leaching the rice husk with hydrochloric acid was higher (218 m²/g) than with sulfuric acid (209 m²/g). The silica obtained has potential application as filler in plastics and rubber compounding.     

Effect of removing silica in rice husk for the preparation of activated carbon for supercapacitor applications

The significant influence of silica inside rice husk in the preparation and electrochemical performances of activated carbon are investigated. The removing of silica results in high mesoporous ratio and good rate capability.     

Effect of the Coating of the Polymer Blend (Polyacrylamide/PEG 6000) on the Efficiency of Rice Husk as a Pesticide Carrier

In recent years the utilization of fibers and powders derived from agricultural sources has become a subject of interest. However, they have been exploited only from an engineering point of view, and the strong ability of agricultural wastes as a carrier for agrochemical formulations has been ignored. A study has been made on the possibility of using such an agrochemical waste, namely rice husk, which is readily available and biodegradable, as a carrier for pesticide formulation. The solid formulations were prepared by adsorbing deltamethrin on the rice husk. The deltamethrin‐adsorbed rice husk is then coated with the polymer blend of Polyacrylamide and PEG 6000 in varying ratios between the deltamethrin‐adsorbed rice husk and the polymer blend. The formulations were characterized by analytical methods such as FTIR and XRD techniques. Important physical properties from the formulation standpoint, such as solubility, dispersion stability, and wettability, were studied.     

Nano Silicon from Nano Silica Using Natural Resource (Rha) for Solar Cell Fabrication

Abstract

High purity (～99%) nano silica with an average particle size of ～100 nm was extracted at pH 3 at 650°C from a natural resource, rice husk, using alkaline extraction followed by acid precipitation method. Using nano silica as a precursor, silicon (Si) nanoparticles have been synthesized by high-temperature magnesiothermic reduction method. The prepared sample was characterized by X-ray diffraction, particle size analyzer, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray fluorescence analyzer, and UV–Vis spectroscopy. The comprehensive characterization studies indicate the pure phase formation of Si and the variation of particle size from 70 nm to 100 nm for samples synthesized at different sintering temperatures. Moreover, the silicon nanoparticles produced at 850°C have pure phase formation, high purity, and good absorption peaks. The efficiency calculated through IV characteristics is found to be increasing in silicon and ruthenium combination (2.67%), which is better than that achieved from the conventional solar cells. The produced silicon nanoparticles could be applied as an anode material for solar cell fabrication.     

Thermal decomposition of rice husk: a comprehensive artificial intelligence predictive model

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry - This study explored the predictive modelling of the pyrolysis of rice husk to determine the thermal degradation mechanism of rice husk. The study can...     

Investigation of thermal decomposition of rice husk

Studies on the thermal decomposition of untreated rice husk and that treated with HCl and H₂SO₄ of various concentrations were carried out by TG, DTG and DTA. The mass loss occurred in three distinct stages, namely, removal of moisture, release of volatile matter and burning of combustible material. The corresponding temperature ranges for untreated husk were 40–150, 215–350 and 350–690°C. The final temperature of combustion decreased with acid-treatment of the husk. The thermal decomposition of the husk was found to be an exothermic process.     

Effect of thermal treatment of rice husk ash on the surface properties of hydrated lime-rice husk ash binders

Rice husk ash fired at different temperatures, 450, 700 and 1000°C, was mixed with different concentrations of lime (molar lime/silica ash ratio of 0.2, 0.5 and 1.0). Each dry mixture was first ground and hydrated in the suspension form (water/solid ratio = 10) for various time intervals within the range of 1 to 365 days. The surface properties of the unhydrated and hydrated samples were studied by means of nitrogen adsorption measurements. The results indicated that the surface areas and total pore volumes of unhydrated solid mixtures and hydrated lime-rice husk ash samples, prepared with lime/silica ash ratio of 1.0, decrease with increasing firing temperature of rice husk ash. The effect of varying the lime/silica ash ratio of the solid mixture on the surface area and pore structure was fully discussed. The results of surface area and pore volume measurements could also be related to the crystal structure of silica produced from rice husk ash.