MUMBAI, India, July 24 -- Intellectual Property India has published a patent application (202631085014 A) filed by Brainware University on July 10, 2026, for A Sustainable Process For Extraction And Preparation Of Silica Gel From Rice Husk Using Plant-Derived Organic Acid.
Inventors include Dr. Prashant Shukla; Wasika Mullick; Atayati Sen; Ajay Barman; Nabanita Sarkar; Anisha Tarafder; Megha Rani Maji; and Dr. Paramita Ghosh.
The application for the patent was published on July 17, 2026, under issue no. 29/2026.
Abstract: [047] The present invention discloses a sustainable process for extraction and preparation of silica gel from rice husk using plant- derived organic acid. The process comprises treating cleaned rice husk with an aqueous solution of tartaric acid preferably derived from tamarind under controlled heating and gentle stirring to obtain a silica-rich extract. The residual biomass is separated by filtration, and the silica-rich extract is subjected to green precipitation using a biocompatible solvent system and controlled pH adjustment to form silica gel. The formed silica gel is aged, washed with water to remove residual acids, soluble impurities, and biomass-derived contaminants, and dried at moderate temperature to obtain purified silica gel. The process reduces dependence on strong mineral acids, harsh chemicals, and high-temperature processing, thereby lowering energy consumption, hazardous effluent generation, and environmental impact while enabling value-added utilisation of rice husk for producing silica gel suitable for industrial applications. Accompanied Drawing [FIGS. 1-2]
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