Electrospinning and microwave absorption of polyaniline/polyacrylonitrile/multiwalled carbon nanotubes nanocomposite fibers

Electrical conductive nanocomposite fibers were prepared with polyaniline (PANI), polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) via electrospinning. The morphology and electrical conductivity of the PANI/PAN/MWCNTs nanocomposite fibers were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Van De Pauw method. Electrical conductivity of nanocomposite fibers increased from 1.79 S·m^?1 to 7.97 S·m^?1 with increasing the MWCNTs content from 3.0 wt% to 7.0 wt%. Compared with PANI/PAN membranes, the mechanical property of PANI/PAN/MWCNTs nanocomposites fiber membranes decreased. The microwave absorption performance of composite films was analyzed using waveguide tube, which indicated that with the thickness increasing the value of R_L reduced from ?4.6 to ?5.9 dB.     

Copper oxide-carbon nanotube (CuO/CNT) nanocomposite: Synthesis and photocatalytic dye degradation from colored textile wastewater

In this paper, CuO/CNT nanocomposite was synthesized and its photocatalytic dye degradation ability for colored textile wastewater was studied. The characteristics of the nanocomposite were investigated by XRD, SEM and FTIR. The photodegradation of Direct Red 31 (DR31) and Reactive Red 120 (RR120) by CuO/CNT in presence of H₂O₂ was investigated. Photocatalytic dye degradation was determined by UV-vis spectrophotometer. Effects of catalyst dosage, initial dye concentration and salt on photodegradation performance were studied. The photocatalytic dye degradation ability of pure CuO and CuO/CNT nanocomposite is 78 % and 89 % for DR31 and 70 % and 87 % for RR120, respectively. The results showed that CNT increased the photocatalytic activity of CuO. The presence of salt decreases dye degradation efficiency. The dye degradation kinetics by nanocomposite followed first-order kinetic model. The reaction rate at 0.005 g catalyst was 0.0137 and 0.0105 min^-1 for DR31 and RR120, respectively. It was found that the CuO/CNT nanocomposite as a photocatalyst could be used to degrade dyes from colored wastewater.     

Poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) modified polyaniline/Na<Superscript>+</Superscript>-cloisite nanocomposite: Synthesis and characterization

A novel electrically conductive nanocomposite consisting of poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) modified polyaniline (PANI) and cloisite clay nanoparticles was obtained via insitu polymerization method. The synthesized nanocomposite was characterized using FT-IR, XRD, conductivity measurement and cyclic voltammetry techniques. The electrical conductivity measurements of prepared nanocomposite showed that the nanocomposite is electrically conductive. Also cyclic voltammetry studies revealed that the synthesized nanocomposite is electro active. Electrochemical corrosion studies including open circuit potential measurements and tafel tests were carried out in various corrosive environments to evaluate the anticorrosive property of the nanocomposite coating on iron samples. Results showed that the coating of this nanocomposite on iron was useful in decreasing corrosion current and corrosion rate of iron in comparison with bare iron and pure polyaniline coated samples. A positive shift in corrosion potential and a significant decrease in corrosion current were observed for nanocomposite coated iron samples in sodium chloride 3.5 %, hydrochloric acid 0.1 M and sulfuric acid 0.1 M solutions.     

Organic-inorganic hybrid of chitosan/poly (vinyl alcohol) containing yttrium(III) membrane for the removal of Cr(VI)

In this present study, an organic-inorganic hybrid membrane was prepared by embedding yttrium(III) into chitosan matrix for the removal of Cr(VI) from aqueous solutions. Several techniques, including fourier infrared spectrum (FTIR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and transmission electron microscope (TEM) are employed to characterize the properties of the membrane. The mechanical properties of the membrane were also examined. The chitosan/poly(vinyl alcohol) containing yttrium(III) (CY) membrane was experimentally used for the removal of Cr(VI) ions from aqueous solution under the optimized conditions. The results showed that the adsorption capacity for the removal of Cr(VI) ions was enhanced when yttrium(III) was introduced. The adsorption data from the experiment were fit well by Langmuir isotherm. Based on Langmuir model, q _m was calculated to be 38.48 mg g^?1. Kinetic study results indicated that the adsorption process followed a pseudo-second-order kinetics.     

Synthesis of SBA-15/PAni mesoporous composite for adsorption of reactive dye from aqueous media: RBF and MLP networks predicting models

In this research, SBA-15/polyaniline mesoporous composite was synthesized, characterized, and applied for the adsorption of Reactive Orange 16 (RO 16) as a reactive dye from aqueous media. Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR), field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA), and BET were used to examine the structural characteristics of the obtained adsorbent. The input parameters including pH, dosage, temperature, and contact time were investigated and optimized. The obtained optimized conditions are as follows: pH=2, time=60 min, and adsorbent dose=0.4 g/l. Moreover, predictive models based on MLP (Multi-Layer Perceptron) and RBF (Radial Basis Function) networks were presented to predict the adsorption amount according to the input parameters including pH, dosage, temperature, time, and dye concentration. Two criteria, namely, correlation coefficient (CC) and root mean square error (RMSE) are used between the observed and predicted amounts to validate the models. Comparison of the obtained results using these two models showed that the prediction based on the MLP network model is better than the RBF network.     

Electrodeposition of homogeneous and adherent polypyrrole/Na<Superscript>+</Superscript>-cloisite nanocomposite on iron electrodes

In this work homogeneous and adherent nanocomposite of polypyrrole (PPY) with Na⁺-Cloisite nanoclays was successfully prepared by insitu electropolymerization of pyrrole monomer in the presence of Na⁺-Cloisite nanoclays. Formation of nanocomposite and incorporation of nanoclays in polypyrrole matrix was endorsed and characterized by FTIR spectroscopy studies, X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The X-ray difraction patterns showed that PPY was intercalated between clay layers in the order of nanoscale. The morphology of the resulted nanocomposite was studied by scanning electron micrograph (SEM). Cyclic voltammetry experiments were carried out in different electrolytes and showed that nanocomposite is electroactive, while conductivity of the nanocomposite derived from four point probe technique indicated that the resulted nanocomposite is conductive. The anticorrosive properties of a thin layer coating of PPY/Na⁺-Cloisite nanocomposite on iron coupons was evaluated and compared with pure polypyrrole coating. According to the results in various corrosive environments PPY/Na⁺-Cloisite nanocomposite has enhanced corrosion protection effect in comparison to pure polypyrrole coating. It was observed that the corrosion protection effect was due to the dispersion of nanoclays in polymer matrix, which results in the increase in the corrosion potential and decrease in corrosion current and corrosion rate.     

Dye Adsorption from Aqueous Solution by Cellulose/Chitosan Composite: Equilibrium,Kinetics, and Thermodynamics

A novel eco-friendly porous adsorbent of cellulose (CE)/chitosan (CS) aerogel was prepared through sol-gel process and freeze-drying to remove Congo Red (CR). A series of aerogels were prepared by adjusting the mass ratios of CE and CS. Composite aerogels were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). SEM images showed that it was possible to change the structure of the aerogel by adjusting the amount of chitosan. The effects of dosage of chitosan, initial pH, temperature, adsorbent dosage, contact time, and initial dye concentration on adsorption capacities for CR were studied in detail. Batch adsorption studies showed that aerogel exhibited maximum removal efficiency to CR at a composite ratio of 1:3 and dosage of 2.5 g/l. CE/CS aerogel had excellent adsorption capacities for CR at a pH range of 3-11, which indicated stability of the aerogel in both acidic and alkaline conditions. CR adsorption on the composite aerogel fitted pseudo-second-order kinetics and Langmuir isotherm. The Langmuir isotherm model revealed that the maximum theoretical adsorption capacity of this material for CR was 381.7 mg/g at pH 7.0 at 303 K for 24 h. The adsorption mechanism included electrostatic and chemical interactions. The results indicated that the adsorption capacity of CE/CS aerogels was higher than the other chitosan composites adsorbents.     

Fabrication of Biocompatible PLGA/PCL/PANI Nanofibrous Scaffolds with Electrical Excitability

Application of electrospun nanofibrous scaffolds has received immense attention in tissue engineering. Fabrication of scaffolds with appropriate electrical properties plays a key role in neural tissue engineering. Since fibers orientation in the scaffolds affects the growth and proliferation of the cells, this study aimed to prepare aligned electrospun conductive nanofibers by mixing 1 %, 10 % and 18 % (w/v) doped polyaniline (PANI) with polycaprolactone (PCL)/poly lactic-coglycolic acid (PLGA) (25/75) solution through the electrospinning process. The fibers diameter, hydrophilicity and conductivity were measured. In addition, the shape and proliferation of the nerve cells seeded on fibers were evaluated by MTT cytotoxicity assay and scanning electron microscopy. The results revealed that the conductive nanofibrous scaffolds were appropriate substrates for the attachment and proliferation of nerve cells. The electrical stimulation enhanced neurite outgrowth compared to those PLGA/PCL/PANI scaffolds that were not subjected to electrical stimulation. As polyaniline ratio increases, electric stimulation through nanofibrous PLGA/PCL/PANI scaffolds results in cell proliferation enhancement. However, a raise more than 10 % in polyaniline will result in cell toxicity. It was concluded that conductive scaffolds with appropriate ratio of PANI along with electrical stimulation have potential applications in treatment of spinal cord injuries.     

Sorption properties of iron impregnated activated carbon web for removal of methylene blue from aqueous media

In this study, impregnation of iron chloride was carried out on needle punched web of waste acrylic fibers, which was subsequently carbonized under layer of charcoal by physical activation in high temperature furnace to produce iron impregnated activated carbon (FeAC). For comparison purpose, one more sample of activated carbon (AC) was prepared without impregnation of iron chloride. Both the webs were carbonized at 1200 °C with no holding time, and characterization of BET surface area, SEM morphology, EDX elemental analysis, XRD crystalline structure was performed. The FeAC web was used as adsorbent for the removal of methylene blue from aqueous solution. The dye removal percentage was investigated at different experimental parameters like different dye concentrations, adsorbent dosage, stirring speed and different pH. The obtained results were analyzed using linear and non-linear forms of Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms and adsorption kinetics (i.e. pseudo first order and pseudo second order model).     

Preparation of electrospun affinity membrane and cross flow system for dynamic removal of anionic dye from colored wastewater

In this research, poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/chitosan electrospun nanofibrous membrane (ENM) was prepared by electrospinning method in order to investigate its dye removal ability from colored wastewater. The morphology and average fiber diameter of the membranes were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), image analysis and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The chemical characterization was studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The permeability of the membranes was evaluated by measuring pure water flux (PWF). In order to investigate the performance of the prepared membranes they were used in the batch adsorption and membrane separation for dye removal from colored wastewater. The effect of pH, number of membranes and dye concentration on the dye removal ability of the ENM was investigated. Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to achieve multi-objective optimization and equations of adsorption capacity and breakthrough time regarding operating conditions. The results demonstrated the potential of using PVA/chitosan nanofiber membrane as a microfiltration (MF) membrane for dye removal. Moreover, the recoverability property of prepared membranes was noticeable.     

Removal of heavy metals in aqueous solution using Antarctic krill chitosan/hydroxyapatite composite

Discarded Antarctic krill shells can be used to prepare chitosan and adsorption materials in an attempt to save resource and protect environment. The optimal conditions of composite materials preparation were as follows: mass ratio of CS and HA was 2:1 at 40 °C, pH 10–10.5, volume ratio of chitosan and Ca(NO₃)₂ was 2:1 over a period of 1 day. Under these conditions, the Cr (VI) removal rate was about 75±8 %. SEM, TEM, XRD, FTIR, DT-TGA analysis indicated that CS/HA composite was made up of CS and HA and it possessed good mechanical strength and thermal stability. The ability to remove Cd (II), Cr (III) and Cu (II) in aqueous was high, and the optimal conditions were as follows: a contact time of 60 min at 35 °C and pH 6–7. The removal rates of all three heavy metals were above 90 %.     

Use of 1,6-diaminohexane-functionalized glycidyl methacrylate-g-poly(ethylene terephthalate) fiber for removal of acidic dye from aqueous solution

In this study, removal of Congo red (CR) from aqueous solution by 1,6-diaminohexane-functionalized glycidyl methacrylate-g-poly(ethylene terephthalate) (HMDA-GMA-g-PET) fiber was investigated. A new aminated fibrous adsorbent was prepared by a reaction between amine and epoxy group in GMA-g-PET fiber prepared by grafting GMA monomer onto poly (ethylene terephthalate) (PET) fiber. Effects of various parameters such as pH, treatment time, initial, dye concentration, and reaction temperature on the adsorption amount of dye onto reactive fiber were investigated. The adsorption rates of CR were much higher on the HMDA-GMA-g-PET fiber than on GMA-g-PET and ungrafted PET fiber. The effective pH was 2.0 for adsorption on grafted PET fiber. It was found that the sufficient time to attain equilibrium was 60 min. The maximum adsorption capacity of the reactive fiber for CR is 16.6 mg/g fiber. The rates of adsorption were found to conform to the pseudo-second order kinetics with good correlation. It was found that the adsorption isotherm of CR fitted Freundlich type isotherm.     

Fabrication of silk fibroin/eggshell nanofiber membranes for facemasks

We report our study on fabrication of soluble eggshell membrane (SESM) and silk fibroin (SF) nanofibers composite (SF/SESM) for facemasks by electrospinning. Biocompatibility of the SF and SESM, determined from hydrophilicity results, is exploited in SF/SESM nanocomposite for facemask application. The SF/SESM nanocomposites were prepared in different ratios of SF and SESM. The samples were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), FTIR and water droplet adsorption tests conducted via water contact angle (WCA) and water droplet diffusion. The results revealed that addition of SESM has insignificant effect on the electrospinnability of SF nanofibers in the studied ratios. The SEM results depicted regular morphology of the nanofibers except increase in nanofiber diameter with addition of SESM. The FTIR results confirmed respective peaks of SF and SESM in SF/SESM nanocomposite. WCA of the nanofibers decreased with addition of SESM such that for SF/SESM30, 30 % SESM, it reduced to 0 ° from 101 ° for pure SF nanofibers. The research results demonstrate SF/SESM30 nanocomposite as optimum ratio of SF and SESM for facemasks and other biomedical applications.     

Cellulose-based porous adsorbents with high capacity for methylene blue adsorption from aqueous solutions

A novel cellulose-based porous adsorbent with high adsorption capacity for methylene blue (MB) was prepared by free radical polymerization methods. The obtained polymer grafting rate and dye removal efficiency are as high as 338.64 % and 97.74 %, respectively, when the dosage of monomer is 4.5 g, the polymerization condition is 3 h at 70 °C. The cellulose-based adsorbent showed high mechanical properties and good flexibility. The Langmuir isotherm model revealed that the maximum theoretical adsorption capacity of this material for methylene blue was 1734.816 mg g-1 at pH 9.0 at 313 K, which is higher than the values observed for other adsorbents. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that the cellulose-based adsorbent exhibits a typical well-defined porous and interconnected three-dimensional framework structure, which is benefits to dye adsorption. The adsorption kinetics (pseudo first-order, pseudo-second-order, and intraparticle diffusion models) was also studied, and the pseudo-second-order model fitted MB adsorption better than the pseudo-first-order and intraparticle diffusion models at different initial dye concentrations (500-3000 mg l ^-1). The novel polyacrylic acid-grafted quaternized cellulose (PAA-g-QC) adsorbent is thus potentially useful for the treatment of dye-contaminated wastewater.     

Kinetic, equilibrium and thermodynamic studies of ternary system dye removal using a biopolymer

In this paper, dye removal ability of sodium alginate (SA) as a biopolymer from ternary systems was investigated. Physical characteristics of SA were studied using Fourier transform infra-red (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Three textile basic dyes were used as model compounds. The adsorption kinetics, isotherms and thermodynamics were studied. The effect of SA dosage, initial dye concentration and pH on dye removal was elucidated. It was found that adsorption kinetics of dyes followed with pseudo-second order kinetics. In addition, dyes followed with Langmuir, and extended Langmuir isotherm in single and ternary systems, respectively. The thermodynamic data showed that the dye adsorption onto SA was a spontaneous, endothermic and physisorption reaction. Based on the data of present investigation, one could conclude that the alginate being a biocompatible, eco-friendly and low-cost adsorbent might be a suitable alternative for elimination of dyes from colored aqueous solutions.     

POSS/polypropylene hybrid nanocomposite monofilaments by reactive extrusion

The Allyl-heptaisobutyl-polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (AHO-POSS) grafted polypropylene (PP) was prepared by reactive extrusion and by physical blending routes. The structure and properties of physically blended and reactively blended POSS/PP nanocomposites were investigated by FTIR, wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis, SEM, spherutlic growth and mechanical properties studies. Chemical bonding of POSS with PP in reactive extrusion was confirmed by FT-IR spectroscopy. DSC and TGA studies showed that the thermal stability of AHO-POSS/PP nanocomposite prepared by reactive extrusion improved significantly as compared to only physically blended nanocomposites. WAXD studies showed decrease in crystallinity of the AHO-POSS/PP nanocomposites prepared by reactive extrusion. SEM studies showed aggregation tendency in case of physically blended AHO-POSS/PP nanocomposites. Spherulite growth studies show reactive blending retards spherulite growth in PP polymer.     

Surface modification and ternary system dye removal ability of manganese ferrite nanoparticle

In this paper, the surface of magnetic manganese ferrite nanoparticles (MFN) was modified using cetyl trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). The modified MFN was studied using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The adsorption capacity of surface modified MFN (MFN-CTAB) was investigated for dye removal for single and ternary systems. Three anionic dyes, C.I. Direct Red 80 (DR80), C.I. Direct Red 31 (DR31), and C.I. Acid Blue 92 (AB92), were used as model compounds. The effects of operational parameters on dye removal (i.e. adsorbent dosage, dye concentration and salt) and the kinetic and isotherm of dye adsorption were studied. The adsorption kinetic for the dyes was found to be well described by the pseudo-second order model. The maximum dye adsorption capacity (Q ₀) of MFN-CTAB for DR80, DR31 and AB92 was 83 mg/g, 59 mg/g and 70 mg/g, respectively. The adsorption isotherm data were analyzed using the Langmuir, Freundlich, and Temkin equations. The results revealed that the Langmuir model fitted the adsorption data better. The results showed that the MFN-CTAB as a magnetic adsorbent might be a suitable alternative to remove dyes from colored aqueous solutions.     

Functional porous carbons from waste cotton fabrics for dyeing wastewater purification

A new functional porous carbons (PC-WF) is prepared by activation-pyrolysis method use waste cotton fabrics (WF) as an abundant, cheap and available precursor for removal of Brilliant Crocein (BC-GR) and Cationic Red 2GL (CR-GL) from aqueous phase. The PC-WF was characterized by BET, FTIR, SEM, and XRD techniques, the surface area, total pore volume, average pore diameter was found as 1463.5 m² g^-1, 0.783 cm³ g^-1 and 2.14 nm, respectively. The influences on BC-GR and CR-GL adsorption of various experimental factors such as initial concentration and temperature were investigated. Adsorption kinetics was found to be best represented by the pseudo-second order model. The adsorption capacity was 319.8 mg g^-1 for BC-GR and 842.5 mg g^-1 for CR-GL at 30 °C, respectively. The results indicate that for waste cotton fabrics in particular, the practical application of this process to the production of porous carbon would be possible.     

Development of Maghemite Glass Fibre Nanocomposite for Adsorptive Removal of Methylene Blue

Maghemite glass fibre nanocomposite with excellent magnetic and adsorption properties was successfully developed from nontoxic and eco-friendly reagents by thermal decomposition approach. The developed nanocomposite was utilized in adsorption of methylene blue which follows Freundlich adsorption isotherm. The excellent value of adsorption capacity (51.31 mg g^-1) as compared to other adsorbents recommends its potential role for adsorption phenomenon in multiple applications. The developed nanocomposite can be recycled and reused easily. Surface and other functional characteristics of developed nanocomposite were determined through scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, raman spectroscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and vibrating sample magnetometer. The obtained results revealed that maghemite glass nanocomposite is a potential tool that can be utilized in waste water treatments.     

Dye removal using polymeric adsorbent from wastewater containing mixture of two dyes

In this paper, poly(amido primary-secondary amine) (PAPSA) as a high capacity polymeric adsorbent was synthesized. Dye removal ability of PAPSA from single and binary systems was investigated. The functional groups of PAPSA were studied using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR). Acid Blue 92 (AB92), Direct Red 23 (DR23), and Direct Red 81 (DR81) were used as model compounds. The kinetic and isotherm of dye adsorption were studied. The effect of operational parameter such as adsorbent dosage, dye concentration, and pH on dye removal was evaluated. It was found that adsorption of dyes onto PAPSA showed Langmuir isotherm. The maximum dye adsorption capacity (Q ₀) of PAPSA was 10000 mg/g, 12500 mg/g, and 10000 mg/g for AB92, DR23, and DR81, respectively. Adsorption kinetic of dyes followed pseudo-second order kinetics. Dye desorption tests showed that the dye release of 85 % for AB92, 91 % for DR23 and 89 % for DR81 were achieved in aqueous solution at pH 12. The results showed that the PAPSA as a polymeric adsorbent with high dye removal ability might be a suitable alternative to remove dyes from colored wastewater.