Adsorptive removal of Rhodamine B from aqueous solution by nanoporous polydivinylbenzene

Nanoporous polydivinylbenzene (PDVB) material has been successfully prepared via the copolymerization of divinylbenzene monomers. The nanoporous PDVB was characterized through N₂ adsorption/desorption isotherms, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis. The nanoporous PDVB as an adsorbent was applied for the removal of Rhodamine B (RhB). The adsorption behavior of PDVB for the removal of RhB showed that the isotherm data followed the Langmuir isotherm model and the kinetic adsorption obeyed the pseudo-second-order model. Thermodynamic parameters illustrated that the adsorption process was spontaneous and exothermic. Interestingly, the spent nanoporous PDVB has excellent regenerative performance through treating it with ethanol. These results revealed that PDVB might be an excellent adsorbent for the removal of RhB from wastewater.