Electrosorption of Methylene Blue from Aqueous Solution on Graphene-Titanium Electrode: Adsorption Kinetics Studies

Abstract

Abstract A graphene film deposited on titanium substrate was successfully prepared by a facile solution evaporation method, as electrode exhibiting superior electrosorption property toward methylene blue (MB) from aqueous solution. The fabricated graphene film on titanium substrate was characterized in detail by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and FTIR techniques. As electrode (GTE) for electrosorption of MB, some experimental parameters, such as applied potential, concentration of electrolyte, solution initial pH and temperature, were systematically investigated and discussed. The experimental results demonstrated that the maximum adsorption capacity using GTE can reach 86.06 mg· g−1 under the optimized conditions of −600 mV of applied potential, pH of 7.5, 293 K and 0.01 mg· L−1 Na2SO4 solution, which is 1.40 times of that obtained under open circuit condition in 10 mg· L−1 MB solution. The adsorption isotherm of MB on GTE was analyzed with Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm equations, Pseudo-first-order model, pseudo-second-order model, and intra-particle diffusion model were applied to depict the adsorption kinetics process. The electrosorption of MB preferably fitted Langmuir isotherm, indicating a single-layer adsorption of MB molecules on graphene film followed pseudo-second-order model. Moreover the electrosorption of MB on GTE was found to be spontaneous and endothermic process. This work would be helpful to design and fabricate high performance carbon-based electrodes for high efficiency electrosorption treatment of dye wastewaters.