Generation of High Quality Biogenic Silica by Combustion of Rice Husk and Rice Straw Combined with Pre- and Post-Treatment Strategies—A Review
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applied sciences Review Generation of High Quality Biogenic Silica by Combustion of Rice Husk and Rice Straw Combined with Pre- and Post-Treatment Strategies—A Review Hossein Beidaghy Dizaji 1,2,*, Thomas Zeng 1, Ingo Hartmann 1, Dirk Enke 2, Thomas Schliermann 1, Volker Lenz 1 and Mehdi Bidabadi 3 1 DBFZ Deutsches Biomasseforschungszentrum gemeinnützige GmbH, 04347 Leipzig, Germany; [email protected] (T.Z.); [email protected] (I.H.); [email protected] (T.S.); [email protected] (V.L.) 2 Institute of Chemical Technology, Leipzig University, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; [email protected] 3 School of Mechanical Engineering, Department of Energy Conversion, Iran University of Science and Technology (IUST), Narmak, 16846-13114 Tehran, Iran; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected] Received: 29 January 2019; Accepted: 7 March 2019; Published: 14 March 2019 Abstract: Utilization of biomass either as a renewable energy source or for the generation of biogenic materials has received considerable interest during the past years. In the case of rice husk (RH) and rice straw (RS) with high silica contents in the fuel ash, these approaches can be combined to produce high-grade biogenic silica with purities >98 wt % from combustion residues. The overall process can be considered nearly neutral in terms of CO2 emission and global warming, but it can also address disposal challenges of rice husk and rice straw. For the resulting biogenic silica, several advanced application opportunities exist, e.g., as adsorbents, catalysts, drug delivery systems, etc. This article provides a comprehensive literature review on rice husk and rice straw combustion as well as applied strategies for raw material pre-treatment and/or post-treatment of resulting ashes to obtain high quality biogenic silica. Purity of up to 97.2 wt % SiO2 can be reached by combustion of untreated material. With appropriate fuel pre-treatment and ash post-treatment, biogenic silica with purity up to 99.7 wt % can be achieved. Studies were performed almost exclusively at a laboratory scale. Keywords: biogenic silica; rice husk; rice straw; ash quality; combustion 1. Introduction According to the report of International Energy Agency (IEA) in 2017, the worldwide share of renewable energy reached 23.9% in the electricity sector, 10.3% for power production and 3.4% for transportation. A further increase to 29.4%, 11.8% and 3.8%, respectively, is expected until 2023 [1]. Besides solar, hydrothermal and wind energy, bioenergy, in particular the exploitation and valorization of agricultural side products and biogenic residues, will play an important role to enable this sustainable development. Biomass needs to fulfill the following criteria as a sustainable resource of energy: (1) it should be readily available; (2) arable land for food resources should not be affected by biomass for energy generation; and (3) it should produce zero waste and have no negative impact on the environment [2]. In this regard, rice husk (RH) and rice straw (RS) as by-products in rice production and milling processes can fulfill these criteria. Rice represents the second largest share of any crop in the world based on the report of Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) [3], and the amount is steadily increasing, Figure1. The world capacity in production of paddy rice in 2015 and 2016 was around 739 and 755 million tons, respectively [4,5]. According to the FAO rice market Appl. Sci. 2019, 9, 1083; doi:10.3390/app9061083 www.mdpi.com/journal/applsci Appl.Appl. Sci. 20192019,, 99,, 10831083 22 of 2732 2016 was around 739 and 755 million tons, respectively [4,5]. According to the FAO rice market monitor [[4],4], there are more than 50 countries with paddypaddy rice production, withwith thethe largest cumulatedcumulated productionproduction originatingoriginating from AsiaAsia (681.8(681.8 millionmillion tons)tons) followedfollowed byby AmericaAmerica (36.3(36.3 millionmillion tons)tons) andand AfricaAfrica (32.6(32.6 million million tons), tons), while while Europe Europe and and Oceania Oceania provide provide only marginalonly marginal contributions contributions of 4.1 million of 4.1 tonsmillion and tons 0.3 millionand 0.3 tons,million respectively. tons, respectively. Paddy rice production increased by 113 million tonnes over 10 years. Figure 1.1. Paddy rice production worldwide (data adaptedadapted from reports of FAO betweenbetween 20062006 andand 20182018 [[4–16]);4–16]); valuesvalues forfor 2017 and 2018 are estimated and forecastedforecasted datadata accordingaccording toto thethe latestlatest reportreport of FAOFAO [[4].4]. Depending on the cropcrop andand harvestingharvesting method, approximately 20–25 and 40–60 wt % db (dry basis) ofof paddypaddy ricerice areare RHRH andand RS,RS, respectivelyrespectively [[17,18].17,18]. RH and RS dodo notnot competecompete withwith foodfood resourcesresources forfor landland usage,usage, andand becausebecause ofof thethe abrasiveabrasive structurestructure andand lowlow nutritionalnutritional value,value, theythey are not suitablesuitable forfor foodfood andand fodder,fodder, andand usuallyusually areare disposeddisposed [19[19–21].–21]. ConsistingConsisting predominantlypredominantly ofof organic matter,matter, i.e.,i.e., cellulose,cellulose, hemicellulose,hemicellulose, and lignin, RH and RS are applicable for the useuse asas sustainablesustainable fuelfuel forfor energyenergy generation generation [ 22[22–24].–24]. After After combustion combustion of of RH RH and and RS, RS, approx. approx. 10–20 10–20 wt wt % of% theof the initial initial fuel fuel remains remains as as ash ash rich rich in in silica silica (i.e., (i.e., “biogenic “biogenic silica”). silica”). It It can can bebe anan economicallyeconomically valuablevaluable material forfor variousvarious applicationsapplications including including the the cement cement and and concrete concrete industry industry [25 [25–27],–27], an an adsorbent adsorbent to removeto remove heavy heavy metal metal ions suchions assuch lead as (II), lead mercury (II), mercury (II), zinc (II), (II) andzinc nickel (II) and (II) ionsnickel from (II) wastewater ions from streams,wastewater as catalyst streams, [28 as– 38catalyst], for synthesis [28–38], for of zeolites synthesi ands of mesoporous zeolites and silica mesoporous [39–46] orsilica for drug[39–46] delivery or for systemsdrug delivery [47,48 ].systems Depending [47,48]. on Depending the anticipated on the application, anticipated biogenic application, silica biogenic is required silica with is differentrequired purities.with different For the purities. utilization For as the pozzolan utilization in concrete, as pozzolan a silica in purityconcrete, of at a leastsilica 97 purity wt % dbof at is sufficientleast 97 wt [49 %]. Indb contrast,is sufficient advanced [49]. In applicationscontrast, advanced such as applicat electronicsions such [50] and as electronics solar applications [50] and [solar51] require applications silica purity[51] require of up tosilica 99.9 purity wt % db. of Similarly,up to 99.9 different wt % characteristicsdb. Similarly, aredifferent desirable characteristics depending onare the desirable desired application,depending on e.g., the negligible desired application, slagging tendencies e.g., negligib [52],le low slagging carbon tendencies content and [52], high low silica carbon purity content for synthesizingand high silica advanced purity for materials synthesizing [53], whiteness advanced andmaterials proper [53], particle whiteness size for and filler proper applications particle [size54], amorphousfor filler applications structure and[54], anamorphous optimized structure pore system and (highan optimized specific surfacepore system area) (high [53,55 specific]. surface area)Commonly, [53,55]. porous silica is produced on an industrial scale by precipitation from alkaline silicatesCommonly, [50]. Alkaline porous silicates silica (wateris produced glass) areon typicallyan industrial obtained scale from by carbonateprecipitation powders from reactingalkaline withsilicates silica [50]. sand, Alkaline which silicates is a very (water energy glass) intensive are processtypically and obtained requires from very carbonate high temperatures powders (approx.reacting 1400with ◦silicaC) [50 ,sand,56]. Water which glass is a can very also energy be produced intensive by hydrothermal process and treatmentrequires very of sand high with temperatures lyes, which is(approx. also an 1400 energy °C) consuming [50,56]. Water procedure glass can [57 ].also The be traditional produced process by hydrothermal is not only expensive,treatment of but sand also with it is lyes, which is also an energy consuming procedure [57]. The traditional process is not only expensive, Appl. Sci. 2019, 9, 1083 3 of 27 hazardous to the environment because during the production of 1 ton of silica, approximately 0.23 ton carbon dioxide, 0.74 ton sodium sulfate and 20 tons of waste water are produced, and it violates the principle of sustainable development [50]. Therefore, an economically feasible and environmentally benign route as an alternative method is required to produce silica. In this respect, a combined energy application and biogenic silica production from RH and RS under controlled conversion conditions would be a promising approach regarding climate protection and zero waste production. Currently, open burning and land filling are the common strategies for RH and RS disposal, which have their own challenges