Abstract

In this present study, biochar-based silver nanocomposite (Ag-nBC) has been synthesized by combining (i) AgNPs, synthesized biochemically using Shorea robusta leaf extract, and (ii) S. robusta leaf biochar, produced via mild thermal pyrolysis (300 °C) and tested for toxic dye removal efficiency. The Ag-nBC was characterized by FESEM-EDX, BET, XRD, XPS, TGA, and FTIR, found to be irregular, heterogeneous, and mesoporous, containing a significant amount of surface functional groups. The Ag-nBC showed > 90% removal for Congo red (CR) and Rhodamine B (RhB), where the dye removal experiments were found to be spontaneous exothermic, followed Freundlich isotherm and pseudo-second order reaction kinetic model. The adsorption mechanism of CR involved surface complexation through specific electrostatic attraction and H-bonding, while RhB exhibited only surface complexation. Notably, this heterogeneous Ag-nBC system showed excellent stability at wide ranges of pH and promising reusability, suggesting great potential for waste biomass minimization and dye effluent treatment.

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