| Abstract Scope |
Amorphous mesoporous silica nanoparticles were synthesized from melon seed husk/chaff ash (MSHA), an agricultural waste material, using a simple sol–gel technique. The synthesis yielded a high silica content of 87.02% with minimal mineral impurities, highlighting MSHA as an effective and sustainable silica precursor. Structural and physicochemical characterization was carried out using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area analysis. XRD patterns confirmed the amorphous nature of the synthesized silica, while SEM analysis revealed nanoparticle sizes ranging from 52 to 73 nm. EDX spectra verified SiO₂ as the dominant phase, and FTIR spectra showed characteristic silanol (Si–OH) and siloxane (Si–O–Si) functional groups. The results demonstrate that agricultural waste–derived ash can serve as a low-cost and environmentally friendly source of high-purity mesoporous silica, offering potential applications in catalysis, adsorption, and environmental remediation. |