Resource recovery from Sugar Cane Biomass for the Synthesis of Silicon Nanoparticles

This study presents a green synthesis approach for silicon oxide nanoparticles (SiONPs) using plantain peels, highlighting their structural and surface properties, potential applications, and environmental benefits. UV-Visible absorption spectroscopy revealed a peak absorption at 341 nm, corresponding to a bandgap of 3.87 eV, confirming the semiconductor nature of the synthesized SiONPs. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis displayed a prominent peak at 69.24°, indicative of high crystallinity and minimal amorphous content, with a calculated crystallite size of 0.23 nm based on Scherrer’s equation. Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area analysis showed a surface area of 198.98 m²/g, exceeding literature values and suggesting enhanced adsorption properties. Additional analyses using Barrett- JoynerHalenda (BJH), Dubinin-Radushkevich (DR), and Density Functional Theory (DFT) models indicated a mesoporous structure with an average pore diameter of 5.5545 nm and a pore volume of 0.0371 cc/g, suitable for applications requiring high surface area-to-volume ratios. Compared to reported values for SiONPs synthesized by traditional methods, the SiONPs obtained from plantain peel demonstrate promising structural integrity and mesoporosity. This research emphasizes the feasibility of using agro-waste for nanoparticle synthesis, offering a sustainable alternative with potential applications in environmental remediation and catalytic processes.