Feasibility Of Coconut Saw Dust As Source Of Silica

     Silica is the major raw material needed to manufacture quality glass. Together with other chemicals to enhance glass quality, this formulation can be an advantage to the glass manufacturing market.

     This paper provides a basic study of the feasibility of coconut saw dust, a waste material typically found on lumber saw mills. The study was conducted at Mindanao State University General Santos City from April 1 to April 26, 2017. The study carried out a One-shot Case Design using the research and experimental facilities at New Era University General Santos City Campus. The primary objective of this study is to provide an alternative source of silica for glass manufacture from the abundantly present coconut saw dust. The materials were bought and collected from the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics of Mindanao State University General Santos City and Pabustan Coco Lumber, San Isidro, General Santos City and various hardwares within General Santos City proper. Coconut saw dust were heated over a hot pan to convert it into ash and placed on a plastic container after cooling. Ashes were added with lime and soda ash in proportions similar to soda-lime glass and placed in a clay pot to be subjected to initial fusion. After achieving lumps of silica, the raw product undergone intense heat to extract the glass. The mass and density of the final product was obtained in the laboratory.

     Results showed a significant difference upon comparing the densities of soda-lime glass to that of the sample. The exterior parts of the sample showed a close resemblance to glass while the Interior portions of the sample we're grayish-white instead of an expected translucent, glass-like appearance. With this result obtained from the experiment, it is premature to conclude the similarity of the type of glass produced as to the soda-lime glass.

     Thus, this study provided a simple method of extracting silica from coconut saw dust and showed the feasibility of coconut saw dust as a source of silica for glass production and manufacturing.