Sofia, Atiqah Fajriani, Rismadita Khairani, Ali Amran, Edi Nasra, Miftahul Khair, Krismadinata, Deski Beri
Silicon was synthesized from rice husk ash-derived silica via magnesiothermic reduction assisted by NaCl and KCl molten salts. The role of molten salt chemistry in governing phase formation, crystallinity, microstructure, and electrical conductivity of the resulting silicon was systematically investigated. X-ray fluorescence analysis indicated silicon purities of 87.8 wt% for NaCl-assisted synthesis and 83.7 wt% for KCl-assisted synthesis. X-ray diffraction confirmed the formation of crystalline cubic silicon with crystallite sizes in the range of 12-77 nm. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that NaCl promoted higher crystallinity and denser agglomerates, whereas KCl suppressed sintering and yielded finer, more porous silicon structures. Electrical conductivity measurements showed higher conductivity for KCl-derived silicon due to improved interparticle connectivity. These results demonstrate clear process-structure-property relationships controlled by molten salt selection, providing insight into sustainable silicon synthesis from biomass-derived silica. © 2026 IOP Publishing Ltd. All rights, including for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies, are reserved.
Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Sciences, Universitas Negeri Padang, Jl. Prof. Dr Hamka, Air Tawar, Padang, 25131, Indonesia; Department of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Negeri Padang, Jl. Prof. Dr Hamka, Air Tawar, Padang, 25131, Indonesia; Badan Riset dan Inovasi Nasional (BRIN) KST BJ Habibie, Jl. Raya Serpong, Muncul, Kota Tanggerang, Banten, Indonesia
