The river water influence on cationic and anionic dyes collection by nickel foam with carbonized metal-organic frameworks and carbon nanotubes

Abstract

Nickel foams provide an easy and interesting template for novel strategies for the creation of micro and nanomaterials composites. Metal foam showed potential applications for preparation electrodes for supercapacitors and Li-ion batteries. Currently, foams are often studies as containments adsorbent. Here, we develop a nickel foam with graphene layer and carbon nanotubes growth from carbonized metal-organic, for adsorption of the cationic dye (Methylene Blue) and anionic dye (Acid Red 18) from aqueous solution. The metal-organic framework used in this composite is based on cobalt elements that after carbonization formed as a particle and serves as a carbon nanotubes catalyst. The kinetic models and mechanism of the adsorption of the dyes were studied. These nickel foam with carbon nanotubes adsorption efficiency are also evaluated in the reference sample (distilled water) and environmental water (local river water). The results unravel the composite shows a higher adsorption capacity of Methylene Blue then Acid Red 18. This study also showed that composite shows higher Methylene Blue adsorption efficiency in environmental water than in the distilled water. The effect of higher Methylene Blue adsorption was not observed for the Acid Red 18. However, the reported nickel foam and carbon nanotubes composite feature better selectivity of the anionic dye over cationic adsorption, from the mixture of both dyes. This study shows what is the real perspective in waste adsorption from river water by the presented nanocomposite. The design of the composite shows an easy way to use as an adsorbent.