Efek Penambahan ZnO pada Komposit Fe3O4 dan SiO2 yang Berasal dari Abu Sekam Padi sebagai Aplikasi Fotokatalis Methylene Blue

Abstract

Rice is highly sought after in Indonesia and plays an important role in the country's economy. However, increased rice production also generates more waste, including rice husks. Rice husks can be converted into silica (SiO2), which is useful in many applications, especially as particles. This research characterizes Fe3O4/SiO2/ZnO samples, focusing on the effect of ZnO addition on the structure, phase, and physicochemical properties. It starts with drying rice husks in an oven at T = 100°C for t = 150 minutes per 200 grams of rice husks. Then, the ash from the dried rice husks is stored in a sterile container. After this stage is completed, the activation and fabrication of SiO2 continue. The dried rice husks are divided into several parts in containers, each weighing m = 250 grams, then put into a furnace. Samples that have undergone the best furnace process at T = 950°C for t = 120 minutes are taken to measure their weight, which is m = 55.65 grams. After measuring, the samples are ground with a 200 mesh sieve for t = 60 minutes, then placed in a tightly closed sterile container. Activated with the addition of ZnCl, m = 5.25 grams. 40 ml of distilled water is added to the sample, then stirred using a magnetic stirrer for t = 1 hour at n = 50 RPM. This process is similarly conducted for mixing Fe3O4/SiO2/ZnO. SEM-EDX analysis shows sample inhomogeneity with ZnO dominance and strong bonding between Fe2O3 and SiO2. XRD identifies three crystal phases: stishovite (tetragonal), magnetite (cubic), and wurtzite (hexagonal), influenced by the presence of ZnO with Miller indices 100 and peak planes (100), (110), (111), (200), (202), and (400). XRF testing shows variation in the sample content, while UV-Vis analysis finds a linear relationship between absorbance and Methylene blue concentration. This study provides insights into the potential applications of this material in nanomaterial-based technology. Thus, this research successfully produced the desired Fe3O4/SiO2/ZnO material through the activation and fabrication process, which has broad potential applications in various fields.