TY - JOUR A1 - Neumann, Mike A1 - Noeske, Robert A1 - Bach, Grete A1 - Glaubauf, Thomas A1 - Bartoszek, Michael A1 - Strauch, Peter T1 - A procedure for rapid determination of the silicon content in plant materials JF - Zeitschrift für Naturforschung : B, Chemical sciences N2 - An efficient, reliable and low-cost procedure to determine the silicon content in plant material is presented which allows to monitor the agricultural aspects like growth and yield. The presented procedure consists of a hydrochloric acid pre-treatment and a subsequent thermal oxidation. The method is compared to other processes like dissolution in hydrofluoric acid combined with ICP OES, energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (EDXRF) or aqua regia treatment. KW - Silica Determination KW - Silicon Content KW - Plant Material Y1 - 2011 SN - 0932-0776 VL - 66 IS - 3 SP - 289 EP - 294 PB - De Gruyter CY - Tübingen ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Neumann, Mike A1 - Noeske, Robert A1 - Taubert, Andreas A1 - Tiersch, Brigitte A1 - Strauch, Peter T1 - Highly structured, biomorphous beta-SiC with high specific surface area from Equisetaceae JF - Journal of materials chemistry N2 - Mesoporous, highly structured silicon carbide (beta-SiC) was synthesised from renewable plant materials (two Equisetaceae species) in a one-step carbothermal process at remarkably low temperatures down to 1200 degrees C. The SiC precursor is a silicon-carbon mixture with finely dispersed carbon prepared by pyrolysis of the organic plant matrix. Yields are 3 to 100% (omega(Si/Si) related to the silicon deposited in the plant material), depending on reaction temperature and time. IR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and nitrogen sorption prove the formation of high-purity beta-SiC with minor inorganic impurities after purification and a high specific surface area of up to 660 m(2) g(-1). Scanning electron microscopy shows that the plant morphology is maintained in the final SiC. Sedimentation analysis finds a mean particle size (diameters d(50)) of 20 mu m. Y1 - 2012 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1039/c2jm30253e SN - 0959-9428 VL - 22 IS - 18 SP - 9046 EP - 9051 PB - Royal Society of Chemistry CY - Cambridge ER -