Sulfonated mesoporous polystyrene-1D multiwall carbon nanotube nanocomposite as potential adsorbent for efficient removal of xylene isomers from aqueous solution

Abstract

Xylene isomers are notorious chemical hazards, and their efficient removal from water solutions is still challenging. The current study reports a polymer nanocomposite as a potential adsorbent for successfully removing dissolved xylene isomers from contaminated water. Polystyrene-1D multiwall carbon nanotube nanocomposite (PS-MWCNT) adsorbent was prepared using the one-step bulk polymerization method. Mesoporous PS-MWCNT was prepared using the nano-crystallization phase separation method. The sulfonation of the mesoporous PS-MWCNT nanocomposites was carried out by treating the samples with concentrated sulfuric acid at elevated temperatures. The sulfonated PS-MWCNT (HO3S-PS-MWCNT) was found to be a potential adsorbent for dissolved xylene isomers from water solution. In addition, the HO3S-PS-MWCNT can be efficiently recycled for up to 10 consecutive cycles with negligible decline in adsorption values. The exhibited equilibrium adsorption, rate of adsorption, and rapid regeneration of the HO3S-PS-MWCNT are clear indications for the possibility of practical utilization of these adsorbents in large-scale water treatment plants.

Editorial for Characterization and Application of Nanomaterials (Volume 6, Issue 2)

“…In a study by Kamyab et al [5] , the use of green resources from cardamom seeds and ginger peels was used to synthesize the ZnO-CoFe2O4 nanostructure by the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), which is environmentally friendly and serves as an effective electrochemical catalyst for the oxidation of water. Another study by Krishnan and Rajendran [6] demonstrated that hydrophilically modified mesoporous PS-MWCNT composites have rapid adsorption and desorption kinetics of xylene isomers, which can effectively remove toxic substances from the environment. Biju [7] also found that the…”