Zhifang Zhang

Highly effective removal of Methylene Blue using functionalized attapulgite via hydrothermal process.

Attapulgite (APT) has been frequently used for the adsorptive removal of dyes from aqueous solution owing to its unique one-dimensional nanoscale structure and low-cost, abundant, eco-friendly advantages. In this work, APT was functionalized under mild hydrothermal condition using chloroacetic acid (CA) with COOH functional groups to improve its adsorption properties. The effect of hydrothermal modification on the microstructure and physicochemical features of APT was investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and Field-emission scanning electron microscopy analyses. The effects of hydrothermal reaction parameters on the adsorption properties of modified APT were intensively investigated. It was revealed that the rearrangement of crystal structure and the surface functionalization of APT with COOH groups cause the surprising increase of adsorption capability for Methylene Blue (MB). The removal ratio of raw APT for MB is only 59.52%, while modified APT could almost completely remove MB in the 200 mg/L of MB solution with a removal ratio of 99.8%. The adsorption kinetics fitted pseudo second-order kinetic model, and the adsorption isotherm could be described with Langmuir isotherm model very well. The hydrogen-bonding interaction, electrostatic attraction and chemical association are the main driving force for the adsorption process.

From nanorods of palygorskite to nanosheets of smectite via a one-step hydrothermal process

The structural evolution of silicate opens a new avenue to cognize its microstructure, intensify its properties and extend its application. Herein, the one-step transformation of palygorskite (PAL) nanorods into smectite nanosheets was successfully achieved under mild hydrothermal condition with no addition of any extra chemicals. The structural evolution of PAL at different reaction stages and the change in physico-chemical characteristics was intensively studied through field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetry (TG) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) techniques. The key factors determining the transformation process were clarified. It was found that the moderate mechanical grinding, pH values and the existence of dolomite are essential to realize the transformation, and alkaline condition may facilitate the transformation. The transformation from nanorods to nanosheets is a rebuilding process of crystals, and the c/2 slide of tetrahedrons represents the main transformation mechanism. After the hydrothermal process, the adsorption capability of RPAL for Cu(II) evidently enhanced by 167%, and 99.01% of Cu(II) ions (only 64.9% for raw PAL) can be removed from 20 mg L−1 of Cu(II) solution.

All-into-one strategy to synthesize mesoporous hybrid silicate microspheres from naturally rich red palygorskite clay as high-efficient adsorbents

A mesoporous hybrid silicate microsphere with superior adsorption performance has been successfully synthesized by employing an “all-into-one” strategy and a simple one-pot hydrothermal process using naturally abundant low-grade red palygorskite (PAL) clay as raw material in the presence of non-toxic SiO32− and Mg2+ ions. As is expected, both the PAL and associated minerals transformed into a new amorphous mesoporous hybrid silicate microsphere without using any additional pore-forming template. The mesoporous silicate microsphere shows a large pore size of 37.74 nm, high specific surface area of 489.81 m2/g (only 54.67 m2/g for raw PAL) and negative surface potential of −43.3 mV, and its maximum adsorption capabilities for Methylene bule (MB) and Crystal violet (CV) reach 407.95 mg/g and 397.22 mg/g, respectively. Meanwhile, 99.8% of MB (only 53% for raw PAL) and 99.7% of CV (only 43% for raw PAL) were sucessfully removed from 200 mg/L of initial dye solution by only using 1 g/L of the adsorbent. In addition, the spent adsorbent can be easily regenerated and repeatly reused for muptiple cycles. The study on adsorption mechanism revealed that electrostatic attraction, hydrogen bonding and chemical complexing interactions are the main factors contributed to the high dye adsorption.

Glycine-assisted evolution of palygorskite via a one-step hydrothermal process to give an efficient adsorbent for capturing Pb(II) ions

As the materials of “green 21st century material worlds”, natural silicates have received unprecedented attention by virtue of their abundance, low-cost, stability, and non-toxic and eco-friendly nature compared to other synthetic materials. With the aim to develop a new hybrid silicate adsorbent with improved adsorption properties, the naturally abundant palygorskite (PAL) was functionalized with glycine (GLY) via a simple one-step hydrothermal process and used for capturing Pb(II) ions from aqueous solution. The main reaction parameters, e.g., the pH values of the reaction medium, solid-to-liquid ratio, reaction time and dosage of GLY, were systematically optimized, and the as-prepared adsorbent was characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmittance electronic microscopy (TEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) techniques. The results reveal that the PAL crystal was converted to a hybrid silicate material with the assistance of GLY, and simultaneously the functional groups were introduced during the hydrothermal reaction, which caused an evident enhancement in the adsorption capacity of PAL for Pb(II) ions from 55.76 mg g−1 to 123.24 mg g−1. Almost 99.60% of Pb(II) could be captured and removed from a 40 mg L−1 Pb(II) solution using the as-prepared GLY-PAL silicate adsorbent, which is obviously higher than the 83.85% achieved by raw PAL. The intensified complexation of the functional groups on the silicate with Pb(II), the electrostatic attraction and the pore adsorption are responsible for the enhancement in the adsorption capability.