Mesoporous LaFeO3 nanoparticles decorated onto activated carbon from agricultural paste (Synthesis, characterization and adsorption properties)

Abstract

This work reports study of structure, magnetic and adsorption properties of LaFeO3 nano particles decorated on the surface of activated carbon. Activated carbon was prepared from sugar beet residue as an agricultural waste material (ACS). The perovskite-type oxide LaFeO3 nanoparticles were prepared by sol-gel (pechini) method using citric acid. The LaFeO3 was decorated on the surface ACS. The structure of samples was studied by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET). The surface morphology was considered by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) methods. The XRD results showed LaFeO3 nanoparticles have orthorhombic structure (space group continued to be Pnma. No. 62) of LaFeO3 perovskite did not change even when it was decorated onto ACS. VSM vibrating of samples was determined. The weak ferromagnetic behavior with specific saturation magnetization of 1.18 and 0.6 emu/g was observed at 15 kOe for LaFeO3 and LaFeO3 nanoparticles decorated onto ACS, respectively. Crystal violet (CV) dye was used as a model of pollutant. At contact time of 60 min and pH of 7 the highest percent of CV was observed. The maximum adsorption capacities of CV removal by ACS, LaFeO3 and LaFeO3 decorated on ACS was obtained, respectively. The adsorption kinetic of CV removal was followed by pseudo-second order model. Thermodynamic parameters of adsorption process of CV showed the endothermic and spontaneous processes. The LaFeO3 was decorated on the ACS was examined for real wastewater and 75% of dye removal was obtained.