Magnetic Ni@C nanoadsorbents for methyl orange removal from water

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international 2023-12, Vol.30 (56), p.118634-118646
• Main Authors: Pradhan, Sanjula, Anuraag, Namuduri Sai, Jatav, Neha, Sinha, Indrajit, Prasad, Nand Kishore
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adsorbents; Adsorption; Aquatic Pollution; Aqueous solutions; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Carbon; Diffraction patterns; Dyes; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Electron micrographs; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Indicators and Reagents; Kinetics; Magnetic Phenomena; Micrography; Nanocomposites; Nanoparticles; Pore size; Raman spectroscopy; Research Article; Sol-gel processes; Transmission electron microscopy; Waste Water Technology; Water; Water Management; Water Pollutants, Chemical; Water Pollution Control; X-ray diffraction
• ISSN: 1614-7499; 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-30588-4

In this study, Ni@C nanoparticles were produced and used as an adsorbent for removing methyl orange (MO) from an aqueous solution. The sol–gel method was utilized for the preparation of the particles. The X-ray diffraction pattern and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were utilized to determine the phase, morphology, and size. The electron micrograph indicated the coating of carbon over Ni having size between 43 and 94 nm, and the Raman spectrum supported it. Among three, the maximum specific magnetization of the Ni@C nanocomposite was 55.78 emu/g for the N7 sample. From the BET approach, specific surface areas of 2.29 × 10 5 , 3.66 × 10 5 , and 5.48 × 10 5 cm 2 /g as well as average pore size of 49.30, 37.25, and 35.27 nm were observed for N5, N6, and N7, respectively. The Ni@C nanoparticles were magnetically separable and exhibited rapid adsorption of MO of different concentrations from their aqueous solutions. The N7 adsorbent displayed the highest MO adsorption capacity (~ 32 mg·g −1 ) along with maintaining an adsorption capacity of 81% even after 5 cycles. Adsorption isotherm and kinetic analysis gave critical inputs toward the possible adsorption mechanism.