Search

In this work, a novel chitosan-based magnetic adsorbent [poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) grafted magnetic chitosan microspheres, GMCMs] was synthesized by graft polymerization of (2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate on the surface of magnetic chitosan microspheres (MCMs). The as-prepared GMCMs exhibited significantly enhanced adsorption capacity towards anionic dyes (e.g., Acid Green 25 and Reactive Blue 19) compared with MCMs. It is due to the fact that the abundant tertiary amine groups of the grafted polymer protonated at low pH and the polymer chains stretched as a result of electrostatic repulsions and chain-solvent interactions. The stretched polymer chains provided a variety of adsorption sites, which efficiently adsorbed dyes through electrostatic interactions and hydrogen bonding. While, in alkaline conditions, the tertiary amine groups were deprotonated and the polymer chains collapsed due to hydrophobic interactions, which facilitated the regeneration of the dye-loaded GMCMs at high pH. The regenerated GMCMs showed excellent adsorption performance even after five adsorption–desorption cycles. Besides, the GMCMs could be rapidly separated from aqueous solutions under an external magnetic field. Therefore, the GMCMs materials bear great application potentials in water treatment owing to its high adsorption capacity, pH-responsiveness, facile regeneration and good reusability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapidly increased discharges of various complex dyeing wastewaters, adsorbents are required to own more properties such as cost-effectiveness, amphoteric ability, and rapid solid-liquid separation ability, to treat dyeing wastewaters. A multi-functional adsorbent was synthesized by co-grafting m-phenylenediamine and sodium allyl sulfonate on the surface of a low-cost base-material: hollow glass microsphere (HGM). Characterization results indicated the surface roughness and –Si–OH groups of HGM were increased by NaOH corrosion; functional groups such as aromatic-rings, –NH 2 , and –HSO 3 − were grafted on the surface of HGM. The synthesized adsorbent showed amphoteric attraction abilities for anionic acid green 25 and cationic basic fuchsin dyes. Kinetics and isotherms studies suggested the PSO model and Langmuir model were most satisfactory for adsorption processes, the theoretical maximum adsorption capacities for acid green 25 and basic fuchsin reached 454.55 and 588.24 mg g−1, respectively. The mechanism investigations indicated the electrostatic attraction, π-π stacking, and hydrogen bonds were the potential interaction forces between dyes and adsorbents. The synthesized material owns self-floating ability due to the hollow structure of HGM, over 95.7% of adsorbents were collected at water surface via the self-floating process in 12 min, which was beneficial to the solid-liquid separation process and the reuse of adsorbents. The technologies developed by these research efforts can serve as templates for synthesizing multi-functional adsorbents for complex wastewaters decontaminations. [Display omitted] • First demonstration of an amphoteric self-floating adsorbent. • The adsorption capacities of anionic/cationic dyes reached 454.55/588.24 mg g−1. • Electrostatic force, π-π stacking, hydrogen bond were dominant adsorption mechanisms. • Over 95.7% of adsorbents were collected at the water surface within 12 min. • The multi-functional adsorbent is beneficial for cleaner production of dyeing goods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]