Wettability UV-switchable TiO₂-based surface molecularly imprinted adsorbent for selective phenol removal and its...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Environmental Chemistry
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Phenol is a common water pollutant requiring efficient removal methods.
• Existing adsorbents often lack selectivity and efficient separation mechanisms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and synthesize a photo-responsive adsorbent for selective phenol removal.
• To achieve UV-switchable wettability for enhanced adsorbent separation and regeneration.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a composite adsorbent using o-phenylenediamine (o-PD) and hollow titanium dioxide (H-TiO2).
• Utilizing molecular imprinting to create phenol-specific binding sites.
• Investigating UV-induced wettability changes and adsorption/desorption kinetics.

Main Results:

• The adsorbent (o-PD/SMIP@H-TiO2) showed switchable wettability from hydrophobic to hydrophilic upon UV irradiation.
• Achieved a phenol adsorption capacity of 24.4 mg/g with high selectivity.
• Demonstrated excellent reusability (94% capacity after 5 cycles) and phenol recovery (97%).

Conclusions:

• The developed photo-responsive imprinted adsorbent offers a promising solution for selective phenol removal and wastewater treatment.
• The smart wettability switching facilitates efficient separation and regeneration, reducing operational costs.
• This material holds potential for significant impact in the industrial wastewater purification sector.