SYNTHESIS OF HIGH PURITY SODIUM SILICATE MATERIAL FROM CLAY INDUSTRY WASTE SILICA

Silica is one of the major wastes produced as a result of mining in the clay industries. With the goal of turning industrial waste into valuable chemical materials, this project investigates the sustainable synthesis of sodium silicate from silica-rich waste produced by the clay industry. Waste silica sand is roasted at high temperatures with potassium hydroxide (KOH) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) to transform inert silica into soluble silicate compounds. To recover solid sodium silicate, the roasted mass is subsequently leached with hot water, filtered, and the filtrate is then concentrated by evaporation. The synthesized material was thoroughly characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Raman spectroscopy to verify its composition, structure, and purity. This technique shows a practical, environmentally responsible way to value the waste from the clay industry while supporting resource recovery and circular economy principles. The elemental composition, surface morphology, molecular structure, and successful preparation of sodium silicate were all confirmed by these analyses. The study shows how to turn industrial waste into a highly sought-after chemical product in an efficient and environmentally responsible manner.

The need of the present study is to investigate a novel approach to synthesize sodium silicate from an unusual, underutilized source clay industry waste. It draws attention to the potential of industrial waste products as substitute raw materials, advancing green chemistry and material science.