Fast and efficient removal of Acid Brown 214 from aqueous media by adsorption onto fluorene functionalized nanoporous SBA-15

Abstract

Fluorene functionalized nanoporous SBA-15 has been used as a novel solid phase adsorbent for removal of acid brown 214 from water solution. SBA-15 grafted with N-(4-(trimethylsilyl)butyl)-9<em>H</em>-fluorene-9-amine has been synthesized according to procedure in the literature. Structural properties of the prepared materials have been characterized by FT-IR, Raman spectrum, TGA, and XRD analyses and nitrogen physisorption isotherms. Dye removal using adsorption requires a proper study to determine its optimal performance characteristics. In this study, the effects of <em>p</em>H, the amount of adsorbent, contact time and dye concentration on adsorption were determined in order to find the optimum adsorption conditions. The data fits well to the Langmuir model with maximum adsorption capacities 454.5 mg/g for Acid Brown 214 under <em>p</em>H=4. Also the adsorption kinetics parameters have been studied and evaluated. Adsorption of acid brown 214 on fluorene functionalized nanoporous SBA-15 reached equilibrium after 5 min and follows the pseudo-second order kinetic model. Desorption process of the adsorbed dye is also investigated.