In recent years, the amount of agricultural and industrial wastes being generated is increasing rapidly. This leads to numerous disposals, governance, and environmental issues. Therefore, the re-utilisation of these wastes into value-added products such as mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) has attracted great attention. MSNs have garnered immense attention in various applications owing to their tuneable pore dimensions, high surface areas, and tailorable structure, suitable for different post-functionalisation. In this review, recent progress on the synthesis of MSNs from waste using a chemical synthesis route is presented. This route offers the possibility to control silica structure, phase, morphology, and sizes by fine tuning the reaction parameters/conditions. The characteristics and applications of the MSNs produced are also analysed to examine the potential of using agricultural and industrial waste as the silica precursor. Although the use of inexpensive waste-derived materials seems promising for both waste reduction and value-added products synthesis, further research is still needed to boost the production of silica especially at a larger scale. 

Agricultural and industrial waste-derived mesoporous silica nanoparticles: A review on chemical synthesis route

Microstructural evolution and densification behavior of porous kaolin-based mullite ceramic added with MoO3

Preparation and properties of mullite-SiC-O′-SiAlON composites for application in cement kiln

Microstructural and mechanical characterization of high strength porcelain insulators for power transmission and distribution applications

Effect of yttria on sintering and microstructural behavior of reaction sintered mullite based on bauxite, fly ash and precipitated silica

Utilization of Birbhum China clay, West Bengal for manufacturing of electrical porcelain insulators

In the present study, total quartz content (30 wt%) of a standard porcelain body was progressively substituted with two different kinds of aluminas (active alumina and calcined alumina) keeping active alumina constant at 5 wt% and varying calcined alumina content to the extent of 5–25 wt%. The alumina incorporated compositions (AP1 to AP7), along with the standard quartz containing porcelain body (SP0), were processed following common ceramic processing techniques. Two types of forming techniques were used to make samples, namely extrusion of plastic mass to get cylinder of desired dimensions and the other one was hydraulic compaction to produce rectangular bars. The extruded and compacted samples were properly dried and then heated in an electrically operated furnace in the temperature range of 1170–1260 °C. The fully densified samples heated at 1260 °C were subjected to various tests, namely phase identification by X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern studies; scanning electron microscopic (SEM) analysis; and measurement for electrical properties such as dielectric strength (kV/mm), dielectric loss (tanδ), electrical resistivity (ohm-cm), and dielectric constant to confirm suitability of the samples for application in high-tension power transmission system. The results revealed that the body AP6, wherein 25 wt% quartz was substituted by 5 wt% active alumina and 20 wt% calcined alumina and heated at 1260 °C, may be considered the most suitable sample for porcelain insulator.

Differences in phase, microstructural, and electrical characteristics of quartz-substituted alumina porcelain insulator

Dehydration-rehydration study of bauxite rock carries a great practical significance in preparing different alumina products, predicting the structure-property relationship of the high alumina bearing ore for its effective utilization and controlling the drying-firing schedule of bauxite based various alumina ceramics. This paper presents a comprehensive thermal dehydration-rehydration behaviour of the naturally occurring bauxite rock of India in powder form in relation to variation of temperature of thermal treatment and relative humidity of the environment.

Debjyoti Ray

Papers

Effect of yttria on sintering and microstructural behavior of reaction sintered mullite based on bauxite, fly ash and precipitated silica

Utilization of Birbhum China clay, West Bengal for manufacturing of electrical porcelain insulators

Differences in phase, microstructural, and electrical characteristics of quartz-substituted alumina porcelain insulator

Dehydration-Rehydration Characteristics of Gibbsitic Bauxite under Equilibrium Condition