Reverse microemulsion mediated sol-gel synthesis of lithium silicate nanoparticles under ambient conditions: scope for CO₂ sequestration

Abstract

We report on the synthesis of nanocrystalline lithium silicate by coupling of sol-gel method in reverse microemulsion. The sample calcined at 800 ° C gives pure phase lithium metasilicate nanocrystallites. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy confirmed the formation of nanocrystalline lithium silicate particles with a narrow size distribution. The nanoparticle prepared in the microemulsion shows enhanced CO₂ sorption capacity and shorter retention times at higher temperature (∼131ml/g at STP at 610 ° C) which are better than the best known results.