Manufacturing of Nanoalumina by Recycling of Aluminium Cans Waste

Abstract

Aluminium drink cans, which are usually disposed of after use, led to sizable land pollution and environmental problems. The main target of this work is to utilize aluminium waste cans to produce nano-alumina that considered a significant oxide that has wide technological-and industrial-applications. The objectives of this study are to synthesize and characterize nano aluminium oxide (alumina) that produced from aluminium waste cans as well as to evaluate the synthesized alumina in the treatment of palm oil mill effluent (POME). In this study, the aluminium waste cans will be transformed into nano and micro-sized alumina by using the sol–gel method. The effect of ageing time and ageing temperature in synthesizing nano Al2O3 has been studied. The properties of the synthesized alumina were characterized via FTIR, XRD, SEM, EDX, and BET. The produced alumina was used as an adsorbent in the treatment of POME through adsorption. The experimental outcomes divulged that the powder of the produced alumina at room-temperature has aloft surface areas that being an appropriate property to be applied as an adsorbent in the treatment of POME. AL-6 h-30 °C gave the highest percentage of 29% in COD removal for POME. In short, the utilization of aluminium waste cans to produce nano Al2O3 is feasible. This economic and environmental-friendly route turned waste into valuable adsorbent that can be used extensively in the treatment of the POME.