Functionalized mesoporous silica: absorbents for water purification

Abstract

A B S T R A C TThe release of heavy metals into the environment is a potential threat to water and soil quality as well as to plants, animals, and human health. In the current research work, organically functionalized mesoporous silicates (MSU-H) were prepared by the cocondensation between sodium silicate and organoalkoxysilanes in the presence of the nonionic surfactant triblock copolymer P104. The surfactant was used as a template for improving the porosity of hybrid gels. Synthesized materials were characterized. The surface morphology and textural properties of such materials varied with various kinds of groups in the channels. In this study, removal of some heavy metal ions from aqueous solution by adsorption process was investigated. Batch adsorption studies show that the adsorption capacity of metal ions on the functionalized silicates is more than that on pure MSU-H. Data show adsorption on synthesized materials is a time-efficient process, suggesting adsorption on external surface as well as the mesoporous process. Adsorption models of Langmuir, Freundlich, and Temkin depicted equal goodness for all adsorbents, whereas pseudo-second-order kinetics is in best agreement with experimental data.

Synthesis of Nano-Zinc Oxide Loaded on Mesoporous Silica by Coordination Effect and Its Photocatalytic Degradation Property of Methyl Orange

“…The surface of mesoporous silica is full of silanol groups which makes it easy to graft by chemical groups. Functional group anchoring can be achieved by using a functionalized silane or a co-condensation of silane with the silica or a post grafting of silica [ 26 ]. The introduction of organic compounds offers mesoporous silica specific adsorption sites for combination with metal ions.…”

Loading of Silver (I) Ion in L-Cysteine-Functionalized Silica Gel Material for Aquatic Purification

“…The sorption of silver ions onto the functionalized silica gel involves the incorporation of silver ions into the modified silica gel matrix. Functionalized silica gel matrices, including silver ions, are useful in a variety of applications such as antibacterial agents [7], water purification [8], catalysis [9], gas sensors [10], and optical devices [11]. It is worth noting that the specific applications and performance of silica gel matrices functionalized with silver ions may vary depending on the synthesis method, silver ion loading, and other factors.…”

A Pillar[5]arene Conjugated Polymer for Removal of Low-Molecular-Weight Organic Acids, Amines, and Alcohols from Water

“…Although water pollution can be caused in a number of ways, chemicals and microorganisms from industrial waste discharge and city sewage are the most common causes. − Short-chain alkyl derivatives, such as short linear halides, alcohols, amines, ethers, aldehydes, ketones, esters, carboxylic acids, ammonium salts, and sulfonic acids, are widely used in chemical and pharmaceutical industries as well as household product industry as reagents, solvents, additives, or surfactants. − As a result, these kinds of chemicals are often found in the polluted water caused by industrial waste discharge − and sanitary wastewater. In water purification, adsorbents such as zeolite , activated carbon, − ordered mesoporous silica, − and microporous polymer − have been extensively used to remove pollutants from water. In recent years, macrocycle-integrated polymers have emerged as a new class of advanced functional materials for selective molecular adsorption from water because of their unique host–guest properties.…”