Coconut shell activated carbon/CoFe2O4 composite for the removal of rhodamine B from aqueous solution

Abstract

Coconut shell activated carbon loaded with cobalt ferrite (CoFe2O4) composites (CAC/CoFe2O4) was synthesized via the single-step refluxing router method to manufacture adsorbents. The adsorbents were then applied to remove Rhodamine B (RhB) from aqueous environments via adsorption. The properties of coconut shell activated carbon (CAC) and CAC/CoFe2O4 were investigated through the usage of electron microscopic methods (SEM: Scanning Electron Microscopy, EDS: Energy Dispersive X-ray), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). A series of batch experiments were implemented to evaluate the influences of various experimental parameters (initial pH, RhB concentration, contact time, and dosage of CAC/CoFe2O4) on the adsorption process. It was found that CoFe2O4 was successfully attached to activated carbon particles and had the suitable adsorption capacity for RhB at a molar ratio of 1: 2:200 corresponding to the Co: Fe:CAC order. The removal efficiency and adsorption of RhB were optimal at a pH level of 4. The maximum adsorption capacity was 94.08 mg/g at an initial concentration of 350 mg/L and adsorbent dosage of 0.05 g/25 mL. Freundlich and Langmuir’s models fitted well with the results obtained from the experimental data. The pseudo-second-order model also suited the most for RhB adsorption with the most remarkable correlation coefficient (R2 = 0.934). The adsorption process was controlled by a chemisorption mechanism through electrostatic attraction, hydrogen bonding interactions, and π-π interactions.