Novel template free synthesis of high surface area mesoporous ceria and adaptive neuro fuzzy interference system (ANFIS) modelling for Cr(VI) adsorption

Abstract

The search for sustainable and ecofriendly mesoporous materials with high surface area is intensively desired for catalytic applications. Herein, we explore a template-free hydrothermal method for synthesizing mesoporous Cerium Oxide (meso-CeO2) nanoparticles as an adsorbent, for the removal of toxic hexavalent chromium Cr(VI) from water. The morphology and structure of synthesized nanomaterials were characterized using various techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), UV–visible spectrophotometer (UV–Vis), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and Brunauer, Emmett, and Teller(BET) analysis. The BET analysis confirmed CeO2 possess a high surface area of 270 m2/g, a 4.5 nm pore diameter, 0.22 cm3/g pore volume, and a stable mesoporous structure. The synthesized meso-CeO2, exhibited efficient removal (99.8% at pH 5) of Cr (VI) from water within 60 min at room temperature. The meso-CeO2 material demonstrated reusability for up to 5 cycles. The removal of Cr (VI) using meso-CeO2 followed Pseudo-second order kinetics (R2 > 0.99) and showed a good fit with the Freundlich isotherm model. Moreover, adaptive neuro fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) models were employed on 320 experimental data sets to predict the adsorption process accurately. Overall, this study highlights the potential of meso-CeO2 nanoparticles as a promising adsorbent for effective water remediation of heavy metal contaminants like Cr (VI).