Removal of methyl orange dye and copper (II) ions from aqueous solution using polyaniline-coated kapok (Ceiba pentandra) fibers

Hollow tubular structured kapok fibers (Ceiba pentandra) were coated with polyaniline (PANI) molecules using an in situ oxidative polymerization technique. The tubular morphology of the kapok fibers was retained after PANI coating. The Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectrum of the PANI-coated kapok fibers illustrated the vibration modes associated with the presence of PANI molecules. The PANI-treated kapok fibers achieved complete wettability with water molecules (zero water contact angle) from initially being highly hydrophobic (contact angle = 120°). In the present work, the removal of contaminants such as methyl orange dye and Cu(II) from aqueous solution using polyaniline-coated kapok fibers was investigated. Isotherm studies show that the removal of methyl orange dye (R² ≥ 0.959) and Cu(II) (R² ≥ 0.972) using PANI-coated kapok fibers follow the Langmuir isotherm model with maximum sorption capacities determined to be 75.76 and 81.04 mg/g, respectively. Based from thermodynamic studies, the sorption of methyl orange dye and Cu(II) are endothermic, feasible and spontaneous. Furthermore, kinetic studies show that the both processes follow a pseudo-second-order model, implying that the rate-determining step is chemisorption.