Synthesis and Characterization of Quartz (SiO2) Materials Using Hydrothermal, X-Ray Fluorescence and X-Ray Diffraction Spectrophotometric Methods

The aim of the present study was the synthesis and characterization of quartz materials using hydrothermal, X-ray fluorescence and X-ray diffraction spectrophotometric methods. Upgrading of the quality of the quartz material was carried out by the synthesis of nanoparticles of SiO2 from rock samples using hydrothermal process. The analytical/geochemical data obtained would be a guide to aid future beneficiation of the quartz materials from rocks, particularly for the economic exploration and exploitation of quartz and silicate minerals which had wide range of applications in various industries like solar cells and solar panels, glass, nanoparticles, ceramic and paint industries. The study involved collection of rock samples containing quartz minerals from Kwandonkaya, Magama Gumau and Toro within Toro District of Toro Local Government Area of Bauchi State, Nigeria. In the hydrothermal process, formation of sodium silicate solution was required. The synthesis steps were: (1) silica sand powder was mixed with 7 mol dm-3 sodium hydroxide solution and then stirred thoroughly at a temperature of 90 ?C for 2 hours to obtain Na2·xSiO3 used as a precursor, (ii) formation step to produce silicite involved titrating sodium silicate solution with hydrochloric acid (7 mol dm-3) until reaching normal pH (∼7) and producing silicite (Si(OH)4) in a gel form, (iii) cleaning with deionized water to release NaCl from silica precipitate and (iv) drying the precipitate at a temperature of 80 ?C for 24 hours. Characterization of the product was carried out using X-Ray Fluorescence and X-Ray Diffraction spectrophotometric methods. The result of XRF analysis of synthesized quartz material revealed the presence of 83.40 ± 1.84 to 85.70 ± 1.62 % SiO2, 1.94 ± 0.21 to 5.60 ± 0.56 % Al2O3, 0.68 ± 0.22 to 1.21 ± 0.13% CaO and N.D. MgO. The synthesized quartz materials XRD results showed structural properties such as crystalline size, planes and diffraction angles as well as the associated minerals present such as albite, anorthite, biotite, muscovite and orthoclase. The synthesized nanoparticles of SiO2 contained multi-minerals phases.