Silicon dioxide (SiO2), also known as silica, has received attention in recent years due to wide range of capable applications including biomedical/pharmaceutical, energy, food, and personal care products. This has accelerated research in the extraction of materials from various agricultural wastes; this review investigates the extraction of silica and silicon nanoparticles from sugarcane bagasse ash with potential applications in electronic devices. Specific properties of silica have attracted the interest of researchers, which include surface area, size, biocompatibility, and high functionality. The production of silica from industrial agricultural waste exhibits sustainability and potential reduction in waste production. Bagasse is sustainable and environmentally friendly; though considered waste, it could be a helpful component for sustainable progress and further technological advancement. The chemical, biogenic and green synthesis are discussed in detail for the production of silica. In green synthesis, notable attempts have been made to replace toxic counterparts and decrease energy usage with the same quantity and quality of silica obtained. Methods of reducing silica to silicon are also discussed with the potential application-specific properties in electronic devices, and modern technological applications, such as batteries, supercapacitors, and solar cells.
Silicon is a promising anode material for the increased performance of lithium-ion batteries because of its high elemental composition and specific capacity. The application of silicon on a commercial scale is restricted due to the limitation of volume expansion. Silicon is also expensive, making it difficult for large-scale commercialisation. Different methods were used to address these issues, including a sintering process and the sol–gel method, to form silicon carbide (SiC), a hard chemical compound containing silicon and carbon. The silicon carbide anode not only acts as a buffer for volume expansion but also allows for better infiltration of the electrolyte, increasing charge and discharge capacity in the battery. Like silicon, silicon carbides can be costly. The development of renewable energy systems is very important, especially in the development of energy storage systems that are not only efficient but also cost-friendly. The cost of the energy storage devices is lowered, making them easily accessible. Silicon carbides can be synthesised from sugarcane, which is the fibrous waste that remains after juice extraction. This could be beneficial, as we could never run out of such a resource, and it offers low carbon with a high surface area. Silicon carbides can be synthesised by carbothermal reduction of silica from sugarcane bagasse. This review provides a comprehensive understanding of silicon carbides and synthetic processes. The innovative use of waste to synthesise materials would reduce costs and comply with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 7 (affordable and clean energy) and 13 (climate action).
Perovskite materials have attracted attention because of their favorable features, which include configurable bandgap, improved charge transport, and unique electronic structure. The authors emphasize the most recent developments in PSC synthesis, innovative device architecture, bandgap engineering, charge transport processes, and stability. The need for a comprehensive design principle that surpasses the iterative process of the current synthesis of perovskite materials is highlighted. This is essential for developing high-quality, defect-free crystal structures with controlled dimensionality, and the choice of the deposition process is crucial to improve structural morphology in the production of PSC. This chapter also highlights that tandem and hybrid perovskite research is still in early development and emphasizes the need for basic research to fully understand the optical, electrical, and physical characteristics of the material before advances in industry.