High Structural Stability and Adsorption Capacity of Zn/Al-Biochar and Cu/Al-Biochar Toward Adsorption of Cr(VI)

Abstract

Layered double hydroxide (LDH) Zn/Al and Cu/Al was synthesized by using the coprecipitation method under base condition at pH 10 following with formation of composites based on biochar (BC) to form Zn/Al-BC and Cu/ Al-BC. The materials were characterized by XRD, FTIR, BET, and thermal analyses. Furthermore, materials was applied as adsorbent of Cr(VI) on aqueous solution. The performance of composites as adsorbent was evaluated by reusability of adsorbent toward Cr(VI) adsorption process. The results showed that Cu/Al-BC and Zn/Al-BC can reuse the re-adsorption process with the adsorption ability of more than 60%. The adsorption capacity of Cu/ Al-BC and Zn/Al-BC was higher than that of starting materials and up to 384.615 mg/g for Cu/Al-BC and 666.667 mg/g for Zn/Al-BC. Both composites showed the potential adsorbents to remove Cr(VI) from aqueous solution.