The Application of Eco-Friendly Nanocomposites by Using Nanoporous Silica from Rice Husk

Abstract

In this thesis, we describe the application of the environment-friendly porous rice husk silica nanocomposite based on the experimental results of adjusting the pH, aging time and the amount of rice husk ash to control the silica porosity (chapter 1). Chapter 3 was discussed of the colorimetric detector having the enhanced sensitivity, which was responded only to a certain substance by turning its color out. Herein the color response of the detector was generated by increasing the energy gap and enabling the absorption of the light of higher energy from the reaction between the conjugated materials having the colorimetric property and the external stimuli matter. The pores of rice husk silica (RHS) controlled from prior experimental were performed in the application to have the sensitivity increase by absorbing a certain substance effectively. Furthermore, for the application as a drug delivery carrier, dyes were loaded into the controlled pores of RHS to control the rate of elution over time. The rate of decomposition degree of the biodegradable polymer, polycaprolactone (PCL), was controlled through the structure of nanofiber sheet and amount of containing RHS particles, which was fabricated by electrospinning. As the ultimate results to apply for the eco-friendly nanocomposite in chapter 4, the previous experimental backgrounds were combined as the research that was the control of releasing dye from RHS inside of PCL nanofiber sheet by the decomposition of the polymer. The research of the controlling specific surface area of the rice husk aerogel was conducted upon the factor of the level and feeding rate of acidity in the synthetic process. Consequently, the research of environmental-friendly nanocomposites of nanoporous silica extracted from rice husk was conducted to apply for the field of a diverse industry. I believe that the silica application such as a carrier for drug releasing, ceramic particle to control the decomposition of the polymer, and substance to improve the sensitivity of the detector from the result of this dissertation had the potential for the actual application in the practical industry in the future.