Preparation and characterisation of polypyrrole nanoparticles for enhancement of granular activated carbon (GAC) as adsorbent

Abstract

BackgroundThe adsorption capacity of Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) is being enhanced using various nanoparticles. A special category of nanohybrid materials also called Janus particles have gained huge interest owing to their tunable properties. The purpose of this work is to report on the synthesis and characteristics of a Janus Ppy-GAC nanocomposite with increased functionality to be applied as a robust adsorbent for efficient and simultaneous removal of organic and inorganic pollutants from wastewater. MethodsA novel method for the preparation of Polypyrrole (Ppy) nanoparticles is presented. All materials were characterised using Raman spectroscopy and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). Significant findingsRaman spectroscopy of Janus Ppy-GAC nanocomposite depicts peaks for both Ppy and GAC with slight shifts of major peaks denoting a strong interfacial bond between the two phases. Ppy nanoparticles were successfully attached to one side of the GAC surface with relatively strong adhesion forces amounting to 10.8 nN on average. An increase in adhesion forces of 25% was observed when Ppy nanoparticles were deposited on the surface of GAC particles as compared to pristine GAC. This implies that the Janus Ppy-GAC nanocomposite is sufficiently robust to be used as an adsorbent for water treatment.