Synthesis and Characteristic Study of Composite Zinc Oxide and Functionalized Activated Carbon with Investigation of its Adsorption Ability : A Kinetic Study

Abstract

This work involves preparation of activated carbon (ACs) that is derived from Iraqi zahdy date palm seeds (IZDPS). This ACs then were functionalized using HNO₃ as an oxidizing agent to yield functionalized activated carbons (FACs). The obtained FACs then combined with zinc oxide nanoparticles to produce activated carbon/zinc oxide(AC/ZnO). The obtained composites were investigated using different methods such as X-rays diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and specific surface area (BET). The adsorption activity of these materials were conducted by following removal of Celestin blue B (CBB) dye from simulated textile wastewaters. Different reaction conditions were investigated such as pH effect, the effect of both contact time and the mass of the used adsorbent on the efficiency of dye removal. Removal of CBB dye over the suspension was investigated by measuring the absorbance of supernatant liquid at a wavelength of 644 nm. Adsorption isotherms were investigated using both by Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherms and the results were more fitted with Langmuir model. The kinetics of adsorption was investigated and the obtained results were fitted with pseudo second order kinetics model.