Nanocomposites: Synthesis, characterization and its application to removal azo dyes using ultrasonic assisted method:...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Environmental Chemistry
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Wastewater contamination by synthetic dyes like methylene blue (MB) and sunset yellow (SY) poses environmental risks.
• Developing efficient adsorbents for simultaneous dye removal is crucial for water purification.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize a novel S-doped, Cu- and Co-doped TiO2 nanocomposite (Co/Cu/S-TiO2) loaded on activated carbon (AC).
• To investigate the ultrasonic-assisted simultaneous adsorption of MB and SY using the Co/Cu/S-TiO2/AC nanoadsorbent.
• To compare the predictive capabilities of Central Composite Design (CCD) and Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) for dye removal efficiency.
• To optimize the adsorption process using Response Surface Methodology (RSM).

Main Methods:

• Sol-gel synthesis of S-doped, Cu- and Co-doped TiO2 nanoparticles.
• Characterization using FE-SEM, XRD, EDX, and FTIR.
• Ultrasonic-assisted adsorption experiments for MB and SY removal.
• Application of CCD and ANFIS for prediction modeling.
• Optimization using RSM.
• Analysis of adsorption using isotherm and kinetic models.

Main Results:

• The Co/Cu/S-TiO2/AC nanocomposite was successfully synthesized and characterized.
• ANFIS demonstrated superior prediction accuracy (higher R², lower RMSE, MAE, AAD) compared to CCD.
• The Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetic models best described the adsorption process.
• RSM successfully optimized process variables for efficient dye removal.

Conclusions:

• The Co/Cu/S-TiO2/AC nanocomposite is an effective nanoadsorbent for simultaneous MB and SY removal via ultrasonic-assisted adsorption.
• ANFIS provides a reliable tool for predicting dye removal efficiency in complex systems.
• The study offers insights into optimizing dye removal processes for industrial applications.