Silica nanoparticles extracted from rice husk and functionalized with dendrimer as an effective recyclable adsorbent to remove divalent cadmium from aqueous solutions

Document Type : Original Research

Authors

Assistant Professor, chemical and Process Engineering Department, Niroo research Institute, Tehran, Iran

Abstract
Research subject: This study demonstrates a synthetic strategy for the preparation of porous SiO2 for adsorption applications using natural and waste materials from rice husks which are functionalized with polymer dendrimer molecules and surface amino groups as the source of biosilica and were investigated to remove divalent cadmium ions from aqueous solutions.

Research approach: Porous silica nanoparticles with a mean diameter of 45 nm were successfully fabricated from rice husk (RH) biomass via a multistep method. During the first step, sodium silicate is extracted from rice husks. Then, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, HCl, and acetic acid were added to the sodium silicate solution, and the resulting mixture was sonicated. After the hydrothermal reaction, the collected samples were calcinated to obtain silica nanoparticles. These synthetic nanoparticles were identified using various techniques such as Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, transmission electron microscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, nitrogen adsorption-desorption analysis and dynamic light scattering analysis. Then, the adsorption kinetics and the effects of synthetic nanoadsorbents dosage on the removal of divalent cadmium ions were investigated. The effect of contact time on cadmium adsorption and recyclability of adsorbent was also investigated.

Main results: The results show that there is no significant reduction in the performance and activity of this nanosorbent in the adsorption of metal ions after 6 times of recycling and reuse. The excellent performance of this nanosorbent in the removal of metal ions is due to its high porosity, active surface amine groups and high surface-to-volume ratio.

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