Mg-Al/Biochar Composite with Stable Structure for Malachite Green Adsorption from Aqueous Solutions

Abstract

Mg-Al-layered double hydroxide (LDH) was fabricated using a coprecipitation method at pH 10. Thereafter, MgAl-LDH was impregnated with biochar to manufacture a Mg-Al/Biochar composite. The composite was characterized using powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, N2 adsorption—desorption, thermogravimetry-differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) experiments, and was subsequently used for malachite green (MG) adsorption. MG adsorption experiments were performed in a batch system, and the effects of temperature and adsorption kinetic and isotherm parameters on the adsorption process were analyzed. The stability of Mg-Al/Biochar was evaluated using regeneration experiments over three cycles. The peaks at 11.47° (003), 22.86° (002), 34.69° (012), and 61.62° (116), in the XRD profile of Mg-Al/Biochar suggested that Mg-Al/Biochar was successfully fabricated. The surface area of Mg-Al/Biochar was up to five times larger than that of pristine Mg-Al-LDH. The adsorption of MG on Mg-Al/Biochar was dominated by interactions at the surface of the adsorbent and was classified as physical adsorption; moreover the maximum adsorption capacity of Mg-Al/Biochar was 70.922 mg/g. Furthermore, the MG removal of Mg-Al/Biochar during three successive adsorption cycles (i.e. 66.73%, 65.57%, and 65.77% for the first, second, and third adsorption cycle) did not change significantly, which indicated the stable structure of the adsorbent.