Fabrication of Al2O3/SiC Nanoparticles from the Rice Hush Ash via Self-Propagation High-Temperature Synthesis and Ball Milling

In this study, silica obtained from the rice hush was used to synthesis of Al2O3/SiC nanoparticles. The rice husk is an agricultural residue abundantly available in rice producing countries such as Iran. For this reason, the ash obtained from the burning of the rice hush which contains more than 93% silica, and aluminum and carbon powders with the molar ratios of 3:4:6 were mixed and then pressed into pellets by using a cylindrical die under a pressure 50MPa. In order to conduct the Self-Propagation High-Temperature Synthesis (SHS), the produced pellets were placed in an electrical furnace at 850oC under the argon gas atmosphere. Then, a planetary ball-milling for 4, 8, 12, 16 and 24h was used to decrease the particle size of the synthesized composite. The results of XRF, XRD, SEM and DLS investigations shown that the rice hush ash can be used to fabricate Al2O3/SiC nanoparticles via SHS and ball-milling and the size of synthesized particles after ball milling for 4-24h is in the range of 870-65nm.