Journal of Pure Applied and Industrial Physics, Vol.

5(7), 206-212, July 2015 ISSN 0976-5727 (Print)

(An International Research Journal), www.physics-journal.org ISSN 2319-8133 (Online

Optical Properties Study for Silica Nano Particle

from Indian Sand
Radeep N. R.1, Pradeep N.1, S. Varadharajaperumal2 and Gayathri Devi S. S.3
1
Department of Nano Science and Technology,
Mount Carmel College, Bengaluru, INDIA.
2
Center for Nano Science and Engineering,
Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, INDIA.
3
Centre for Research and Advance Learning,
Mount Carmel College, Bengaluru, INDIA.

(Received on: July 10, 2015)

ABSTRACT

An Optical property of Silica nanoparticle was studied by different

characterization techniques. Optical properties of synthesized silica nanoparticle
were characterized by Raman Spectroscopy, Fourier Transfer Infrared spectroscopy
and particle size analyzer. Particle size analyzer was measured the size range of the
different ball milling time of particles. Raman spectroscopy explained the vibration
properties of all the samples. Fourier Transfer Infrared spectroscopy confirmed the
chemical functional groups present in silica nanoparticle.

Keywords: Silica nanoparticle, Raman Spectroscopy, FTIR, Particle size analyzer.

1. INTRODUCTION

Silica is the one of the most freely available natural source and different form in the
world. Research of silica nanoparticles has increased because of their easy preparation and
extensive use in the production of novel systems and applications such as Nanoresonators1,
Nanosensors2 Bone Application3, Biomedical applications4, Nanowire based devices5etc.
Optical properties are referred to the interaction of electromagnetic radiation with
matter. Optical spectroscopic techniques are widely used in the study of optical properties of
different materials including silica nanoparticles. Particle size reduction is an important step
in many technological operations. The main objective of the research was using optical
properties for study of physical information from silica nanoparticles6.
We recently reported synthesis of silica nanoparticle from malpe beach sand using
ball milling for different milling hours as 50 hrs, 75 hrs, 100 hrs, 125hrs, 150 hrs7. This

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207 Radeep N. R., et al., J. Pure Appl. & Ind. Phys. Vol.5 (7), 206-212 (2015)
research is extension of our previous report. Different techniques are used to study the
optical properties of silica nanoparticle such as Fourier Transform Infrared red spectrum
(FTIR), Raman scattering, and particle size analyzer. So far to our knowledge, there is no
literature is available for optical studies of ball milled Karnataka malpe beach sand.

2. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Ball Milled samples were characterized by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), it confirms the
silicon dioxide nanoparticle without any impurity. (Not shown here)

2.1 Particle size Analyzer

Figure: 1 Particle Size range of silica nanoparticle from different milling timings. (a) 50 hrs (b) 75hrs
(c) 100hrs (d) 125hrs (e) 150 hrs

Figure 1 shows the Particles size distribution of SiO2 nanoparticles prepared from the
malpe beach sand for different milling times was obtained using Zeta PALS (Zeta Potential
Analyzer) nanoparticles analyzer. The figure indicates the particle size range of each milling
times. The 50 hrs milling shows broad range of nanoparticle size distribution and it’s become
narrower to the higher milling times. Table: 1 given for the particle size distribution for
different milling hours. From the particle size analyzer we observed particle size was ranging
between 94-118 nm for 150 hours milled powder compare than 50hours milled powder,
range of particle size were decreased.
From the graph we clearly have seen that there is linear reduction of particle size
range from 50 hours to 150 hours. The particle size range peak becoming narrower with
increasing milling hours due to the high impact of balls to powder in longer period leads to
particle size peak width reduction.

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 Radeep N. R., et al., J. Pure Appl. & Ind. Phys. Vol.5 (7), 206-212 (2015) 208

Figure: 2 Recorded Graph from Particle size analyzer (a) 50 hrs (b) 75 hrs (c) 100 hrs
(d) 125 hrs (e) 150 hrs

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209 Radeep N. R., et al., J. Pure Appl. & Ind. Phys. Vol.5 (7), 206-212 (2015)
Table: 1 Shows the milling hours with particle size of milled sand
Milling hours Particle size range (nm)
50 371-468
75 245-310
100 132-167
125 121-153
150 94-118

2.2 Raman Spectrum

Figure: 3 Raman spectrum for different timings of ball milled sand

The figure 3 shows the Raman spectrum of Silicon dioxide nanoparticles is obtained
from different milling hours such as 50 hrs, 75 hrs, 100 hrs, 125 hrs and 150 hrs using
Raman spectrometer ( Lab RAM HR (UV) system). For different milling time powder shows
the relatively same Raman spectra. The peak of 465cm-1 as wave number is higher intensity
than the other peaks. From 50 hrs to the higher milling time, the intensity of Raman spectra
was decreased. It’s clearly shows that the milling hours increases the intensity of the peak
decreases as the particle size decrease8. There is Peak obtained in wave number of 124 cm-1
and 206 cm-1 in 50 and 75 hours but its suppressed in higher milling hours and also there is
insignificant peak observed in 332cm-1 for 125 hours milling powder which is not seen in
others spectrum. For smaller average size, there is larger distribution of nanocrystalline sizes,
causing broadening of Raman peak9.

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 Radeep N. R., et al., J. Pure Appl. & Ind. Phys. Vol.5 (7), 206-212 (2015) 210

Figure: 4 FTIR spectrum of silica nanoparticle

2.3 Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy

The Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer was performed on Perkin Elmer
measurement was used to verify chemical functional groups in the silica nanoparticle by the
ball milling method. The IR spectral data was collected at range from 4000 cm-1 to 400 cm-1
with 4cm-1 resolution and 16 scans at room temperature were recorded. Pellets for FTIR
analysis were prepared by mixing a small amount (~0.003g) of silica nano particles was

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211 Radeep N. R., et al., J. Pure Appl. & Ind. Phys. Vol.5 (7), 206-212 (2015)
mixed with (~0.3g) KBr powder and pressed to obtain a transparent disc. The background
scan was set to FTIR spectra before measurements of all samples. Figure: 4 (a)-(e) shows the
FTIR spectrum. From 4000 cm-1 to 400 cm-1 spectral region of the silica nanoparticles
spectrum forms a broad band and deconvoluted into several peaks. The spectra of all samples
show the absorption band at from 461 cm-1 to 467 cm-1 which corresponds to the Si-O
rocking vibration where the oxygen atom moves perpendicular to the Si-O-Si plane .The
band appeared at 798 cm-1,799 cm-1 may be due to the Si-O bending vibration where the
oxygen move at right angle to the Si-Si lines in the Si-O-Si plane10. The band around 1089
cm-1 correspond to asymmetric stretching vibration of Si-O-Si band, which the bridging
oxygen atom moves parallel to the Si-Si lines in the opposite direction to their Si neighbors.
The peak appeared at about 3435 cm-1 is related to the O-H stretching vibration of H2O in the
sample11, 12. The peak 1089 cm-1transmittance range is decreased particle size is reduced as
shown in Figure, this is because of Si-O-Si stretching vibration increased. FTIR analysis also
showed that the all the bands was slightly shifted toward lower number as the particles size
decreases. It was reported that SiO2 nanoparticles can absorb water molecules from
atmospheric air as per the recently published article13. Rest of the peaks was almost similar
with each other which indicate the formation of pure amorphous phase of SiO2.

3. CONCLUSIONS

In this report we study the optical properties of silica nanoparticle synthesized from
sand by different milling times using ball milling. The average particle size decreased
exponentially with an increasing milling time. The particle size plays the important role in
optical studies. As nanoparticle get smaller the peak intensity become narrow in particle size
analyzer techniques. The Raman and FTIR studies shows the smaller the size of particle it
lower the intensity and the shift. The magnitude of the shift is highly dependent on the
particle size and this behavior was explained.

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July, 2015 | Journal of Pure Applied and Industrial Physics | www.physics-journal.org