Abstract This study examines the sorption behavior of Congo Red (CR) dye from water-based solutions using a synergistic nanocomposite made of Bentonite (BT), multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), and a Poly (vinylidene fluoride tri-flouroethylene) (P(VDF-TRFE)) polymer matrix with exceptional adsorption capacity for the selective removal of Congo red dye from aqueous solutions. This is done in order to address the urgent concerns surrounding the health and environmental implications of CR dye. Utilizing modern analytical technique such as FTIR, XRD, SEM, TEM, and TGA, the adsorption physicochemical interaction and nanocomposite manufacturing were carefully investigated, offering thorough insights into the composite's general properties. Nanocomposite structures of between 31 and 37 nm in diameter were discovered by TEM examination. The adsorption process was pH dependent, reaching a peak removal effectiveness of 94.5% at pH 3.0. The correlation coefficients obtained from kinetic modeling using pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order equations were 0.97389 and 0.96802, respectively, suggesting that the adsorption mechanism adhered to first-order rate kinetics. Thermodynamic investigation revealed an exothermic and spontaneous reaction, with a negative ΔG value between − 7.45 and − 7.95 J/mol. The nanocomposite outperformed the capacities reported for individual components in earlier investigations, with an impressive monolayer sorption capacity (qmax) of 143.88 mg/g. As a result, there is great potential for this innovative nanocomposite to be a very successful adsorbent for treating industrial wastewater. Graphical Abstract
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