Synthesis and Characterization of Waste Water Satchet/Rice Husk Powders Nanocomposite and Their Water Absorption Potentials

DOI

10.2991/978-94-6463-970-4_46How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Rice husk; Sachet waste; Nanocomposite; Absorption; Waste valorization

Abstract

The increasing pile-up of plastic sachet waste and agricultural leftovers like rice husk dust (RHD) is creating significant environmental and disposal headaches. This study explores a sustainable way to make use of these materials by creating and analyzing nanocomposites made from low-density polyethylene (LDPE) water sachet waste and RHD. The composites were crafted using a mix of dual-purpose kerosene (DPK) and automotive gas oil (AGO) in various ratios (50/50, 80/20, 20/80, 100% DPK, and 100% AGO), followed by a series of structural, morphological, and water-absorption tests. X-ray diffraction (XRD) showed both amorphous and crystalline phases, highlighting the hybrid organic–inorganic nature of the composites. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed uneven filler distribution and surface roughness typical of lignocellulosic-based systems, suggesting some level of bonding between the polymer and the filler. The water-absorption behavior was significantly affected by the solvent ratio, with the 22/28 (DPK/AGO) mix showing the least moisture uptake (around 0.04%), indicating great hydrophobicity and low porosity. In contrast, formulations with higher amounts of DPK or AGO absorbed more moisture, reaching up to about 6%. These results show that recycled LDPE and RHD can be effectively combined to create nanocomposites with improved water resistance and structural strength. The materials developed have potential uses in non-structural and semi-structural applications, such as lightweight panels and water-resistant packaging. This method aligns with circular economy goals by turning two significant waste streams into functional, sustainable materials.

Copyright

© 2025 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Mansur Yahaya Ibrahim
AU  - Helen Temitope
PY  - 2025
DA  - 2025/12/31
TI  - Synthesis and Characterization of Waste Water Satchet/Rice Husk Powders Nanocomposite and Their Water Absorption Potentials
BT  - Proceedings of the International Conference on Engineering, Science, and Urban Sustainability (ICESUS 2025)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 746
EP  - 761
SN  - 2352-5401
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-94-6463-970-4_46
DO  - 10.2991/978-94-6463-970-4_46
ID  - Ibrahim2025
ER  -