This study examined the temperature-dependent properties of silica gel particles at different sizes. The results showed: 1) BET surface area was higher for smaller particle sizes (40-75 μm) of 471.51 m2/g compared to 284.19 m2/g for larger particles (75-200 μm), indicating smaller particles have a higher surface area to volume ratio. 2) X-ray diffraction and FTIR spectroscopy confirmed the samples consisted of intrinsic amorphous micron and nano-sized silica gel particles. 3) The maximum variation in particle size occurred within the first 5 minutes of sonication, with less size reduction at longer time scales.

1. I CANN 2019
6th International Conference on Advanced Nanomaterials & Nanotechnology
Dec 18-21, 2019. INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY GUWAHATI, INDIA
Study of Temperature Dependent Properties of Silica Gel at Variable Particle Size
Pankaj Kumar1*, Shatrudhan Palsaniya2, Vaibhav V. Goud3, Pramod Kumar Yadav4*
1*Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Assam, India-781039
2Centre for Nanotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Assam, India-781039
3Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Assam, India-7810394
4*Department of Chemical Engineering, Beant College of Engineering & Technology Gurdaspur, Punjab, India-143521
Email: pankajgujjar91@iitg.ac.in
According to the TGA data, we observed that the mass loss of gel
particles was maximum in the period of an initial 50 minutes. The
results of X-ray diffractometry and FTIR spectroscopy shows, the
product consisted of pure amorphous nano-silica. Existence of gel-
micro-particles revealed by FTIR spectra [2-4].
(a) FESEM images reveals that the smaller particle size (40 - 75
µm), has the surface morphology consisted of particle
agglomeration, (b) whereas the bigger particle size (75 – 200 µm)
shows an equally distributed surface morphology. At this stage, gel
particles were homogeneously distributed and constructed an
isomorphous phase [2]. AFM topography also follow the trend.
METHODOLOGY
INTRODUCTION
1. Wei et al. 460, Colloids and Surfaces, 151-157 (2014).
2. V. Jafari, A. Allahverdi et al.10, IJNN,145-152 (2014).
3. Maurice and Fauozi et al. 24, Journal of Metals, 37-42 (2014).
4. Li and Zhao et al. J. CENT. SOUTH UNI. TECHNOL. 5, 31-34 (1998)
Analytical Lab, Dept. of Chemical Engineering, IIT Guwahati
REFERENCES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
RESULT AND DISCUSSION
SUMMARY AND FUTURE OUTLOOK
1. Silica nanoparticles (Si-NPs) have many applications due to
high surface area.
2. DLS show an average diameter reduces in the initial time frame
of during sonication.
3. X-ray diffraction and FTIR spectra shows the sample consists of
intrinsic amorphous micron and nano-silica gel particles. High
surface area and non-toxicity of Si-NPs useful for future
biological applications such as, drug delivery, and cancer
therapy etc.
Sample name/
Specification
BET surface
area
(m2 g-1)
BJH Adsorption
(m2 g-1)
Average Pore
Diameter, nm
Total Area
(m2 g-1)
40-75 µm 471.5061 507.459 6.45963 1072.197
75-200 µm 284.1882 335.086 12.50676 332.867
We observed the Brunauer Emmet Teller (BET) surface area of gel
particles at the particle size 75–200 µm and 40-75 µm are 284.19
𝑚2
𝑔
and 471.51
𝑚2
𝑔
, respectively. It is predicted that smaller particle
size shows high surface area to volume ratio. Hence, the results
reveal that the smaller particle size of the gel attributed to the
maximum surface area.
Colloidal micro-particles of silica gel anticipated via sonication at different
time scale reveals that the shape and size of the micro-particles strongly
dependent at the initial and final time frame [2, 3]. The maximum variation in
the particle size of the silica gel recorded at the initial five minutes. Further,
we observed, the size reduction of silica gel particles was less rather than
increasing the time scale.
Despite several years of
research and many studies, the
interest has been focused on
materials with nanoscale size
because they represent new
Physico-chemical proper-ties
which do not appear in the
corres-ponding bulk materials
which have been widely used
in the field of ceramic,
electronic, poly-mer and
cement, etc [1].
Sample name/
Specification
BET surface
area
(m2 g-1)
BJH Adsorption
(m2 g-1)
Average Pore
Diameter, nm
Total Area
(m2 g-1)
40-75 µm 106.4324 507.459 6.45963 1072.197
75-200 µm 284.1882 335.086 12.50676 332.867
After Aging