Final published version
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Biomass derived palygorskite-carbon nanocomposites
T2 - Synthesis, characterisation and affinity to dye compounds
AU - Sarkar, Binoy
AU - Liu, Erming
AU - McClure, Stuart
AU - Sundaramurthy, Jayaraman
AU - Srinivasan, Madapusi
AU - Naidu, Ravi
PY - 2015/9/1
Y1 - 2015/9/1
N2 - Clay minerals can act as a uniform dispersion medium for nano-sized carbon particles. However, literature on the preparation and characteristics of palygorskite-carbon nanocomposites is scant. Using a hydrothermal carbonisation technique this study developed two nanocomposites on fibrous palygorskite from starch: the first without a post-synthesis treatment (Composite 1); and the second with an activation at 550°C for 3h (ramp at 10°Cmin-1) under CO2 environment (200mLmin-1) (Composite 2). A uniform dispersion of nano-scale carbon spheres was formed on partially destroyed palygorskite structures. Composite 2, which indicated the formation of graphitised carbon nanoparticles, generated a 17-fold greater specific surface area than Composite 1 and also created micro- and mesopores in its structure. The nanocomposites, especially in Composite 1, contained organic surface functional groups (CH, CC, CO) and indicated variable affinity to cationic and anionic dye compounds. While Composite 2 adsorbed a larger amount of anionic orange II dye (23mgg-1), Composite 1 adsorbed more cationic methylene blue (46.3mgg-1). Isothermal and kinetic modelling of the adsorption data indicated that in addition to electrostatic attraction for methylene blue adsorption on both nanocomposites, a pore diffusion mechanism was involved and the boundary resistance was greater for orange II than methylene blue adsorption. Being a material developed from green biomass (starch) and an abundant natural resource (palygorskite), these nanocomposites have immense potential for application in environmental remediation including in situ immobilisation of contaminants in soil.
AB - Clay minerals can act as a uniform dispersion medium for nano-sized carbon particles. However, literature on the preparation and characteristics of palygorskite-carbon nanocomposites is scant. Using a hydrothermal carbonisation technique this study developed two nanocomposites on fibrous palygorskite from starch: the first without a post-synthesis treatment (Composite 1); and the second with an activation at 550°C for 3h (ramp at 10°Cmin-1) under CO2 environment (200mLmin-1) (Composite 2). A uniform dispersion of nano-scale carbon spheres was formed on partially destroyed palygorskite structures. Composite 2, which indicated the formation of graphitised carbon nanoparticles, generated a 17-fold greater specific surface area than Composite 1 and also created micro- and mesopores in its structure. The nanocomposites, especially in Composite 1, contained organic surface functional groups (CH, CC, CO) and indicated variable affinity to cationic and anionic dye compounds. While Composite 2 adsorbed a larger amount of anionic orange II dye (23mgg-1), Composite 1 adsorbed more cationic methylene blue (46.3mgg-1). Isothermal and kinetic modelling of the adsorption data indicated that in addition to electrostatic attraction for methylene blue adsorption on both nanocomposites, a pore diffusion mechanism was involved and the boundary resistance was greater for orange II than methylene blue adsorption. Being a material developed from green biomass (starch) and an abundant natural resource (palygorskite), these nanocomposites have immense potential for application in environmental remediation including in situ immobilisation of contaminants in soil.
KW - Adsorption
KW - Graphitised carbon
KW - Mesopores
KW - Nanocomposite
KW - Palygorskite
KW - Pore diffusion
U2 - 10.1016/j.clay.2015.07.001
DO - 10.1016/j.clay.2015.07.001
M3 - Journal article
AN - SCOPUS:84937134845
VL - 114
SP - 617
EP - 626
JO - Applied Clay Science
JF - Applied Clay Science
SN - 0169-1317
ER -