Large-Scale Synthesis of Nanosilica from Silica Sand for Plant Stimulant Applications

[Image: see text] Nanosilica is a versatile nanomaterial suitable as, e.g., drug carriers in medicine, fillers in polymers, and fertilizer/pesticide carriers and potentially a bioavailable source of silicon in agriculture. The enhanced biological activity of nanosilica over quartz sand has been noted before; it is directly related to the altered physicochemical properties of the nanoparticles compared to those of the bulk material. Therefore, it is feasible to use nanosilica as a form of plant stimulant. Nanosilica synthesis is a relatively cheap routine process on the laboratory scale; however, it is not easily scalable. Largely for this reason, studies of nanosilica fertilizers are scarce. This study will focus on industrial-scale silica nanoparticle production and the application of nanosilica as a plant stimulant in maize. A variant of the sol–gel method is used to successfully synthesize nanosilica particles starting from silica sand. The resulting particles are in the size range of 16–37 nm with great purity. The potential of nanosilica as a plant stimulant is demonstrated with the increased quantity and quality of maize crops.