Adsorption and anion exchange insight of indigo carmine onto CuAl-LDH/SWCNTs nanocomposite: kinetic, thermodynamic and isotherm analysis

Design and synthesis of LDH nano composite functionalized with trimesic acid and its environmental application in adsorbing organic dyes indigo carmine and methylene blue

This work designed and prepared an organic-inorganic nanocomposite using layered double hydroxide (LDH) inorganic substrate and trimesic acid (TMA) as chelating agent. Subsequently, the synthesized organic-inorganic nanocomposite was assessed using multiple identification methods, including FTIR, EDX, XRD, TGA, and FESEM, and the outcomes demonstrated that the intended structure was successfully prepared. Also, in order to investigate the efficiency of the Mg-Al LDH-TMA nanocomposite as an efficient nano adsorbent, it was used for removal of indigo carmine (IC) and methylene blue (MB) from aqueous solutions. This synthetic nanocomposite showed a high adsorption capacity. The efficiency of the produced nanocomposite in the adsorption of selected dyes was investigated with the help of batch adsorption studies performed in a variety of experimental settings, including dye concentration, adsorbent dose, pH, adsorption temperature and contact time. Furthermore, the produced Mg-Al LDH-TMA nanocomposite exhibits strong stability and can be recycled and reused five times in a row, which is well consistent with the principles of green chemistry.

Surfactant-modified coconut coir powder (SMCCP) as a low-cost adsorbent for the treatment of dye-contaminated wastewater: parameters and adsorption mechanism

The dye-contaminated wastewater discharged from various industries such as dye manufacturing, paint, textile, paper, and cosmetic is a prime source of surface water pollution having serious detrimental effects on both the environment and human beings. These hazardous dyes when exposed to water obstruct the penetration of sunlight into the water and thus restrain aquatic plants from generating photosynthetic compounds. Moreover, some dyes are potential cancer-causing and also negatively impact the human nervous and respiratory systems. In this current study, modification of coconut coir powder (CCP) was carried out through cationic surfactant treatment and was successively utilized as the adsorbent for decoloring anionic dye (acid blue 185 (AB 185)) containing waste stream. Further, a comparative investigation of the dye removal efficiency of raw CCP and surfactant-modified coconut coir powder (SMCCP) as the adsorbent was studied. On surfactant treatment, using a very minimal SMCCP dosage of 8.3 g/L, a very high percentage dye removal of 98.4% is possible, whereas with raw CCP, even after using a higher dosage of 14 g/L, only 70.1% dye removal can be achieved. Characterization of SMCCP adsorbent was done by Fourier transform infrared, thermogravimetric, X-ray, and scanning electron microscope analyses. Furthermore, the optimization of critical operating parameters was investigated for the effective adsorption of AB 185 dye in batch mode. The adsorption of AB 185 onto SMCCP was a thermodynamically spontaneous endothermic process, following the Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Moreover, regeneration of exhausted SMCCP by 0.1 (M) NaOH was achieved with a satisfactorily high recovery of 97% in the first cycle. Subsequently, SMCCP can be successfully reutilized for five consecutive cycles with a loss of 17.6% in the total adsorption capacity. With all such advantages, the present study delivers a new paradigm to utilize the novel adsorbent SMCCP as a promising eco-friendly adsorbent aided by its advantage of regeneration and reusability for the treatment of dye-contaminated wastewater.

Progress in layered double hydroxides (LDHs): Synthesis and application in adsorption, catalysis and photoreduction

Layered double hydroxides (LDHs), also known as anionic clays, have attracted significant attention in energy and environmental applications due to their exceptional physicochemical properties. These materials possess a unique structure with surface hydroxyl groups, tunable properties, and high stability, making them highly desirable. In this review, the synthesis and functionalization of LDHs have been explored including co-precipitation and hydrothermal methods. Furthermore, extensive research on LDH application in toxic pollutant removal has shown that modifying or functionalizing LDHs using materials such as activated carbon, polymers, and inorganics is crucial for achieving efficient pollutant adsorption, improved cyclic performance, as well as effective catalytic oxidation of organics and photoreduction. This study offers a comprehensive overview of the progress made in the field of LDHs and LDH-based composites for water and wastewater treatment. It critically discusses and explains both direct and indirect synthesis and modification techniques, highlighting their advantages and disadvantages. Additionally, this review critically discusses and explains the potential of LDH-based composites as absorbents. Importantly, it focuses on the capability of LDH and LDH-based composites in heterogeneous catalysis, including the Fenton reaction, Fenton-like reactions, photocatalysis, and photoreduction, for the removal of organic dyes, organic micropollutants, and heavy metals. The mechanisms involved in pollutant removal, such as adsorption, electrostatic interaction, complexation, and degradation, are thoroughly explained. Finally, this study outlines future research directions in the field.

Advancements in textile dye removal: a critical review of layered double hydroxides and clay minerals as efficient adsorbents

The textile industry is responsible for producing large volumes of wastewater that contain a wide variety of dye compounds. This poses a significant environmental hazard and risks harming both ecosystems and living organisms. This review study explores the advancements in adsorption research for dye removal, with a particular emphasis on the development of various adsorbents. The article provides detailed insights into the toxicity and classification of dyes, different treatment techniques, and the characteristics of numerous adsorbents, with special attention to layered double hydroxides (LDH) and clay minerals. A comprehensive list of adsorbents, encompassing natural materials, agricultural by-products, industrial waste, and activated carbon, is discussed for effective removal of different dyes. Furthermore, the review extensively examines the influence of various adsorption variables, such as pH, initial dye concentration, adsorbent dosage, temperature, contact time, ionic strength, and pore volume of the adsorbent. Additionally, the application of response surface methodology for optimizing adsorption variables is elucidated. Commonly, electrostatic attraction, π-π interactions, n-π interactions, van der Waals forces, H-bonding, and pore diffusion play a major role in adsorption mechanism. The review also found that LDH can eliminate a wide range of dyes from wastewater, achieving excellent uptake capacities often exceeding 500 mg/g, with a removal efficiency of 99%. The Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetic equations gave the best fit to most of the adsorption data. Overall, this review serves as a valuable resource for researchers and practitioners seeking sustainable solutions to address the environmental challenges posed by textile dye contamination.

La-Ca/Fe-LDH-coupled electrochemical enhancement of organophosphorus removal in water: Organophosphorus oxidation improves removal efficiency

Metal ions or metal (hydrogen) oxides are widely used as active sites in the construction of phosphate-adsorbing materials in water, but the removal of soluble organophosphorus from water remains technically difficult. Herein, synchronous organophosphorus oxidation and adsorption removal were achieved using electrochemically coupled metal-hydroxide nanomaterials. La-Ca/Fe-layered double hydroxide (LDH) composites prepared using the impregnation method removed both phytic acid (inositol hexaphosphate, IHP) and hydroxy ethylidene diphosphonic acid (HEDP) acid under an applied electric field. The solution properties and electrical parameters were optimized under the following conditions: organophosphorus solution pH = 7.0, organophosphorus concentration = 100 mg L-1, material dosage = 0.1 g, voltage = 15 V, and plate spacing = 0.3 cm. The electrochemically coupled LDH accelerates the removal of organophosphorus. The IHP and HEDP removal rates were 74.9% and 47%, respectively in only 20 min, 50% and 30% higher, respectively, than that of La-Ca/Fe-LDH alone. The removal rate in actual wastewater reached 98% in only 5 min. Meanwhile, the good magnetic properties of electrochemically coupled LDH allow easy separation. The LDH adsorbent was characterized using scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction analysis. It exhibits a stable structure under electric field conditions, and its adsorption mechanism mainly includes ion exchange, electrostatic attraction, and ligand exchange. This new approach for enhancing the adsorption capacity of LDH has broad application prospects in organophosphorus removal from water.

Dual emission N-doped carbon dots as a ratiometric fluorescent and colorimetric dual-signal probe for indigo carmine detection

Novel dual-emission fluorescent nitrogen-doped carbon dots (N-CDs) were synthesized by a facile one-pot hydrothermal method using ascorbic acid and rhodamine B as precursors and melamine as nitrogen source. The obtained N-CDs exhibited dual-emitting peaks at 435 nm and 578 nm under the single excitation of 350 nm. The fluorescence at 578 nm was more effectively quenched by indigo carmine (IC) based on the internal filtration effect and aggregation-induced emission quenching. Meanwhile, the apparent color change of N-CDs from pink to blue-purple after adding various concentrations of IC could be clearly observed with the naked eye. Therefore, a ratiometric fluorescent and colorimetric dual-signal probe based on N-CDs was developed for IC detection with high selectivity and sensitivity. The addition of IC caused the ratiometric fluorescent value (F₄₃₅/F₅₇₈) to increase linearly within the range from 0 to100 µM with a detection limit (LOD) of 0.18 µM and the colorimetric signal presented a linear response in the range of 0-133 µM with a LOD of 57.4 nM. Furthermore, the IC in juice drink, candy, and water was successfully detected. Besides, the N-CDs were also designed as a ratiometric temperature probe, and the ratiometric fluorescence signal (F₄₃₅/F₅₇₈) was linearly and reversibly responsive to temperature in the range of 20-75 °C.

Construction of efficient Ni-FeLDH@MWCNT@Cellulose acetate floatable microbeads for Cr(VI) removal: Performance and mechanism

Water pollution is an aggravating dilemma that is extending around the world, threatening human survival. Strikingly, the notorious heavy metals like hexavalent chromium ions (Cr⁶⁺) cause environmental problems raising awareness of the essentials for finding feasible solutions. For this purpose, the self-floating Ni-FeLDH@MWCNT@CA microbeads were prepared for removing Cr⁶⁺. The morphological, thermal, and composition characteristics of Ni-FeLDH@MWCNT@CA microbeads were analyzed using XRD, FTIR, TGA, SEM, XPS, and zeta potential. Notably, the adsorption aptitude of Cr⁶⁺ was enhanced by raising the MWCNTs proportion to 5 wt% in microbeads. The Cr⁶⁺ adsorption onto Ni-FeLDH@MWCNT@CA fitted Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models with q_m of 384.62 mg/g at pH 3 and 298 K. The adsorption process was described kinetically by the pseudo-2nd order model. More importantly, the adsorption of Cr⁶⁺ onto Ni-FeLDH@MWCNT@CA occurred via electrostatic interactions, inner/outer sphere complexations, ion exchange, and reduction mechanisms. Besides, the cycling test showed the remarkable reusability of Ni-FeLDH@MWCNT@CA floatable microbeads for five subsequent cycles. The self-floating Ni-FeLDH@MWCNT@CA microbeads in this work provide essential support for the potential applications for the remediation of heavy metals-containing wastewater.

Multifaceted potential applicability of hydrotalcite-type anionic clays from green chemistry to environmental sustainability

Hydrotalcite-like anionic clays (HTs) also known as Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) have been developed as multifunctional materials in numerous applications related to catalysis, adsorption, and ion-exchange processes. These materials constitute an important class of ionic lamellar solid clays of Brucite-like structure which comprise of consecutive layers of divalent and trivalent metal cations with charge balancing anions and water molecules in interlayer space. These materials have received increasing attention in research due to their interesting properties namely layered structure, ease of preparation, flexible tunability, ability to intercalate different types of anions, electronic properties, high thermal stability, high biocompatibility, and easy biodegradation. Moreover, HTs/LDHs have unique tailorable and tuneable characteristics such as both acidic and basic sites, anion exchange capability, surface area, basal spacing, memory effect, and also exhibit high exchange capacities, which makes them versatile materials for a wide range of applications and extended their horizons to diverse areas of science and technology. This study enlightens the various rational researches related to the synthetic methods and features focusing on synthesis and/or fabrication with other hybrids and their applications. The diverse applications (namely catalyst, adsorbent to toxic chemicals, agrochemicals management, non-toxic flame retardants, and recycling of plastics) of these multifunctional materials related to a clean and sustainable environment were also summarized.

Investigation of the efficient adsorption performance and adsorption mechanism of 3D composite structure La nanosphere-coated Mn/Fe layered double hydrotalcite on phosphate

Severe water eutrophication due to large releases of phosphorus has become a worldwide environmental problem. Adsorption active sites is less of traditional adsorbents in the phosphorus removal process resulting in low removal efficiency, so the new high-efficiency phosphorus removal adsorbents become an effective way to solve the problem. In this work, quercetin modified MnFe layered double hydrotalcite three-dimensional composites structures encapsulated by lanthanum (La(III)) nanoparticles (QLa@MnFe-LDH) were successfully prepared by a classical hydrothermal method. The results of the adsorption experiments show that La(III) nanosphere-encapsulated MnFe-LDH provides a more adequate binding site for phosphate adsorption. The adsorption performance of QLa@MnFe-LDH for phosphate was outstanding, the maximum adsorption capacity was 346.5 mg/g at 298.15 K, which was 300 % higher than that of MnFe-LDH. Moreover, QLa@MnFe-LDH retained its high adsorption capacity (>315.5 mg/g) over a wide range of pH (4.0 ∼ 7.0). The active sites of the reactions were predicted by Multiwfn and Visual Molecular Dynamics (VMD), and novel visualization studies of weak interactions were applied to theoretical studies. The modified MnFe-LDH encapsulated by La nanospheres has a strong adsorption capacity for phosphate adsorption. Therefore, the modified QLa@MnFe-LDH was expected to become an effective adsorption material for phosphorus removal.

Nano chromium embedded in f-CNT supported CoBi-LDH nanocomposites for selective adsorption of Pb2+and hazardous organic dyes

Transition metal-doped carbon-coated layered double hydroxides for the removal of lead (II) and hazardous organic dyes have attracted increasing attention for wastewater treatment in recent years. In this work, nanostructured CoBi-LDH/Cr@CNT composites were successfully synthesized by hydrothermal route. The CoBi-LDH/Cr@CNT was characterized by instrumental techniques such as XRD, FTIR, TEM, SEM, XPS and TGA/DTA. Adsorption of Pb²⁺ and organic dyes, i.e.,Rose Bengal (RB) and Congo red (CR) by CoBi-LDH/Cr@CNT was performed by batch experiment.The effect of several parameters including contact time, adsorbent dose, pH, temperature, and concentration was also investigated. Under optimum conditions, the adsorption capacity of CoBi-LDH/Cr@CNT for RB, CR and Pb²⁺ pollutants were (278.4 mg g^-1), (164.6 mg g^-1) and (503.2 mg g^-1) and the removal efficiency achieved is 98.2%, 95.0% and 100% respectively. The selectivity of CoBi-LDH/Cr@CNT nanocomposite towards Pb²⁺ has been studied using ICP-AES.The isothermal results were analyzed using Freundlich and Langmuir models. Adsorption isotherm for Pb²⁺(R² = 0.975), RB (R² = 0.997) and CR (R² = 0.992) agrees with the Langmuir model indicating monolayer adsorption. The sorption kinetics data well fitted pseudo-first-order model for Pb²⁺ (R² = 0.975), RB (R² = 0.996), and CR (R² = 0.995).The results demonstrated that the synthesized CoBi-LDH/Cr@CNT nanocomposite can be used as an effective sorbent for the removal of pollutants from wastewater.

Recent progress in the synthesis of Layered Double Hydroxides and their application for the adsorptive removal of dyes: A review

Layered double hydroxides (LDHs), also known as anionic clays, are lamellar inorganic solids with a brucite-like structure and consist of positively charged metal hydroxide sheets intercalated by anions and water molecules. Choice of LDH is beneficial as it displays properties like simple synthesis procedures, adjustable structure, stability, large surface area, homogeneous positive charge distribution over the surface, interplanar spacing, and versatility to synthesize a variety of composites. Due to these properties LDHs act as efficient adsorbents for wastewater treatment. This review presents a detailed overview of the removal of hazardous organic dyes using different LDHs and LDH-hybrids/composites. The review also incorporates methods of synthesis of various LDHs and composites and the effect of their morphology on dye removal capacity. The effects of adsorption variables such as pH, adsorbent dosage, initial concentration of dye, contact time on the adsorption of these materials are also explained along with adsorption isotherms, kinetics and operative mechanisms. This article incorporates 156 references, majority of which have been taken from the available literature of last 5 years.

Synthesis and characterization of FSB@Fe3O4 composites and application in removal of indigo carmine dye from industrial wastewaters

The syntheses and characterization of fish scale biochar magnetic composites (FSB@Fe₃O₄) and their applications in the removal of indigo carmine dye from effluents are described. Preparation of the fish scale biochar magnetic composites, FSB@400 °C-Fe₃O₄, FSB@600 °C-Fe₃O₄, and FSB@800 °C-Fe₃O₄, was done following the chemical co-precipitation method. The adsorbents were characterized using peak optical absorbance, functional groups, magnetic strength, surface morphology, particle size, elemental compositions, surface charge, surface area, thermal stability, and crystalline phase, using ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis spec), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM), transmission electron microscopy/scanning electron microscopy (TEM/SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), point of zero charge pH (pH_pzc), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA), and powder x-ray diffraction (PXRD) techniques, correspondingly. The potential of magnetic composites for the abstraction of indigo carmine dye from wastewater was determined as a function of the initial concentration of indigo carmine dye, contact time, dye solution pH, adsorbent dosage, and solution temperature. The results demonstrated that the quantity (q) of indigo carmine dye adsorbed onto magnetic composites improved with a rise in initial dye concentration, adsorbent load, and solution temperature. Conversely, lower quantities of adsorbed dye were recorded at higher pH levels. The data fitted a pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The Langmuir isotherm gave the best fit (Langmuir>Freundlich>Redlich-Peterson>Toth>Hill>Sips>Temkin) suggesting a uniformly monolayer adsorption. Adsorption of environmental wastewater samples revealed that all the adsorbents can be used to effectively treat industrial wastewaters. The recycling data established that the adsorbents could be used for five consecutive cycles without significant loss of adsorption capacities.

Colorimetric and fluorometric nanoprobe for selective and sensitive recognition of hazardous colorant indigo carmine in beverages based on ion pairing with nitrogen doped carbon dots

Indigo carmine (IC) dye is hazardous and allergenic for humans even though it has been excessively used in a wide range of industries. Therefore, the quantitative determination of IC is still challenging. Herein, for the first time, we have developed fluorometric and colorimetric dual-mode nanoprobe derived from the ion-pair association complex between the negatively charged IC and positively charged N@C-dots in pH = 3.0. Consequently, the binding between N@C-dots and IC resulted in cyan blue and quenching of N@C-dots fluorescence. The dependence of the fluorescence response on IC concentrations was linear over the range of 0.73-10.0 µM (R² = 0.9989) with LOD of 0.24 µM. On the other hand, the linearity of the colorimetric method ranged from 9.97 to 80.0 µM (R² = 0.9986) with LOD of 3.3 µM. The sensor was applied for estimation of IC in fruit juice and soft drink without the need for exhaustive extraction steps.

Design of an electrochemical platform for the determination of diclofenac sodium utilizing a graphenized pencil graphite electrode modified with a Cu–Al layered double hydroxide/chicken feet yellow membrane

A novel electrochemical sensor based on a Cu–Al layered double hydroxide (Cu–Al LDH)/chicken feet yellow membrane (CFYM) modified graphenized pencil graphite electrode (GPGE) was designed.

Glycerol mediated solution combustion synthesis of nano magnesia and its application in the adsorptive removal of anionic dyes

This study reports solution combustion synthesis of magnesia nanoparticles (nMgO) using magnesium nitrate as oxidiser and glycerol as fuel. Size, morphology, crystal structure and surface properties of synthesised nMgO were analysed by PXRD, SEM, TEM, FTIR and Point of Zero Charge. The XRD pattern of nMgO confirmed prepared samples were single cubic-phase without any impurities. TEM analysis proved nMgO was in nano regime with an average particle diameter of 20–40 nm. FTIR spectra show the presence of characteristic peaks of nMgO and support the XRD results. The prepared nMgO was employed as an adsorbent for the removal of two anionic dyes viz. Indigo Carmine (IC) and Orange G (OG). Furthermore, various adsorption isotherms and kinetic models were performed to understand the kinetics and mechanism of the adsorption process. Experimental results demonstrated that the adsorption equilibrium data fit well to Sips isotherm (R2 > 0.98) and the saturated adsorption capacities of nMgO were found to be 262 mg g−1 for IC and 126 mg g−1 for OG. Adsorption kinetics analysis revealed that the adsorption followed pseudo-first-order model, with both film and pore diffusion governing the rate of adsorption. Excellent adsorption capacity combined with efficient regeneration proved the potential of the prepared nMgO as an adsorbent for the removal of harmful dyes from industrial effluent.

Photoinduced degradation of indigo carmine: insights from a computational investigation

In this work, we present a computational investigation on the photoexcitation of indigo carmine (IC). Physical insights regarding IC photoexcitation and photolysis were obtained from a fundamental perspective through quantum chemistry computations. Density functional theory (DFT) was used to investigate the ground state while its time-dependent formalism (TD-DFT) was used for probing excited state properties, such as vertical excitation energies, generalized oscillator strengths (GOS), and structures. All the computations were undertaken using two different approaches: M06-2X/6-311+G(d,p) and CAM-B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p), in water. Results determined using both methods are in systematic agreement. For instance, the first singlet excited state was found at 2.28 eV (with GOS = 0.4730) and 2.19 eV (GOS = 0.4695) at the TD-DFT/CAM-B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p) and TD-DFT/M06-2X/6-311+G(d,p) levels of theory, respectively. Excellent agreement was observed between the computed and the corresponding experimental UV-Vis spectra. Moreover, results suggest IC undergoes photodecomposition through excited state chemical reaction rather than via a direct photolysis path. To the best of our knowledge, this work is the first to tackle the photoexcitation, and its potential connections to photodegradation, of IC from a fundamental chemical perspective, being presented with expectations to motivate further studies.

Uniformly coating ZnAl layered double oxide nanosheets with ultra-thin carbon by ligand and phase transformation for enhanced adsorption of anionic pollutants

The increasing severity of water pollution has strongly urged to develop green and efficient adsorbents for waste-water treatment. In this work, ZnAl layered double oxide nanosheets uniformly coated with ultra-thin amorphous carbon shells (ZnAl-LDO@C) were fabricated by modifying ZnAl layered double hydroxides (LDHs) with molecular ligands followed by calcination. Compared with their counterparts derived from the pristine ZnAl-LDH, ZnAl-LDO@C nanosheets exhibit higher specific surface area with abundant and highly accessible active sites. The adsorption performance of the ZnAl-LDO@C nanosheets for methyl orange (MO) and hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] ions was investigated in detail. It is found that the channel-like hydrophilic carbon shells facilitate the diffusion of water molecules and ions, leading to the fast adsorption rate. In addition, the rich oxygen-containing functional groups in the amorphous carbon shells can efficiently improve the adsorption capacity through multiple interactions. As a result, ZnAl-LDO@C nanosheets exhibit superior adsorption performance for MO and Cr(VI), outperforming most LDH- or LDO-based adsorbents reported previously. Meanwhile, a new oriented overlapping intercalation mechanism for MO adsorption was proposed for the first time to clarify how MO molecules arrange at the interlayer space.

Preparation of a carboxymethyl β-cyclodextrin polymer and its rapid adsorption performance for basic fuchsin

The presence of dyes in a water system has potential adverse effects on the ecological environment. The conventional cyclodextrin (CD) polymer only has CD cavities as adsorption sites and exhibits slow adsorption for dye removal. In this study, we designed a novel carboxymethyl β-CD polymer (β-CDP-COOH). The structural properties of β-CDP-COOH were characterized as an irregular cross-linked polymer with negative surface charge, and the introduction of carboxymethyl groups greatly enhanced the adsorption ability of the β-CD polymer to basic fuchsin (BF). The maximum removal efficiency of β-CDP-COOH (96%) could be achieved within 1 min, whereas that of conventional β-CD polymer (70%) was achieved after 50 min. The adsorption mechanism revealed that the adsorption behavior of β-CDP-COOH could be effectively fitted with the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Langmuir isotherm. Both CD cavities and carboxymethyl groups were effective adsorption sites, so β-CDP-COOH had an advantage in adsorption capacity over the conventional β-CD polymer. This study indicated that β-CDP-COOH is a potential highly efficient adsorbent for the removal of cationic dye contaminants.

Introduction of carboxymethyl groups greatly accelerated the adsorption rate of a β-CD polymer, and the removal efficiency reached 96% within 1 minute.

Preparation, characterization of fish scales biochar and their applications in the removal of anionic indigo carmine dye from aqueous solutions

The preparation and applications of Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fish scale biochars (FSB) as an adsorbent in the removal of indigo carmine dye (ICD) from aqueous solutions is described. The biochars were prepared through pyrolysis over a temperature range of 200 °C-800 °C and characterized for surface charge, functional groups, thermal stability, particle size and morphology, elemental composition, crystallinity, and surface area by using pH_pzc, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA), transmission electron microscopy/scanning electron microscopy (TEM/SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) techniques, respectively. Batch experiments were carried out to determine the variation of adsorption process with initial dye concentration, contact time, initial solution pH, adsorbent load, temperature and adsorbent pyrolysis temperature on the removal of the dye. The percentage removal increased with increase in initial dye concentration and adsorbent dosage. A pH of 2 was the most appropriate for the adsorption experiments. The equilibrium data fitted pseudo-first-order kinetics and Freundlich models, while the thermodynamic parameters confirmed that the adsorption process was endothermic.

Porous 3D flower-like CoAl-LDH nanocomposite with excellent performance for NO2 detection at room temperature

The 3D flower-like CoAl-layered double hydroxide (CoAl-LDH) was successfully prepared using the functional template agent of fluoride ions via a facile one-step hydrothermal route. Various techniques proved that all the samples presented 3D flower-like microstructural morphology. Representatively, the CA-2 sample, which was synthesized with the molar ratio of Co : Al of 3.65 : 1, had considerably abundant pores in its thin nanosheets. The average pore size was 2-4 nm, the specific surface area was equal to 49.45 m2 g-1, and the thickness of nanosheets was approximately 3.068 nm. The CA-2 sample showed an excellent response to 0.01-100 ppm NO2 with ultrafast response/recovery time at room temperature (RT). The detection limit of the sensor even reached 10 ppb. The superior gas sensing performance could be attributed to the synergistic effects of the functional template agent of fluoride ions and specific porous 3D flower-like nanostructure. The current study showed that the 3D flower-like CoAl-LDHs might a promising material in practical detection of NO2 at RT.