TMAB modified NiFe2O4 nanoparticles for the Effective removal of Eriochrome Black-T azo dye

Abstract

The Eriochrome Black-T (EBT) azo dye was removed from aqueous solution using TMAB (tetramethyl ammonium bromide) stabilised NiFe₂O₄ (TMAB@NFO) nanoparticles, which have been synthesized through polymeric precursor method. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR) were used to analyse the TMAB@NFO nanoparticles. Adsorption studies were conducted under a variety of conditions, including pH, adsorbent dosage, and contact time, intraparticle diffusion, pseudo-first- and pseudo-second-order kinetic models were used to analyse the kinetic data. According to the systematic study of adsorption isotherms and kinetics models, TMAB@NFO nanoparticles will adsorb EBT dye utilising the Freundlich model and pseudo-second-order kinetics. The intraparticle diffusion model revealed a linear relationship (R² - 0.98, 0.97, and 0.94 for TMAB@NiFe₂O₄ and bare NiFe₂O₄-NPs), demonstrating how surface modification influences the overall EBT adsorption process and the pore diffusion rate. Additionally, the manufactured nano adsorbents of NiFe₂O₄ were effectively regenerated and reused after the treatments up to four times following the elimination of 89% of EBT dye by TMAB@NiFe₂O₄-NPs. The results have demonstrated the enormous potential of TMAB @NiFe₂O₄-NPs to eliminate EBT in a practical way.

KEY WORDS: Tetramethyl ammonium bromide, NiFe₂O₄, EBT, Surface capping, Adsorption, Kinetics

Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2024, 38(6), 1569-1581.                                                      

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v38i6.6