Preparation of carbon microspheres decorated with silver nanoparticles and their ability to remove dyes from aqueous solution

J Hazard Mater. 2015:283:193-201. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2014.09.024. Epub 2014 Sep 22.

Abstract

Solid, but not hollow or porous, carbon microspheres decorated with silver nanoparticles (AgNP-CMSs) were prepared from silver nitrate and CMSs by a redox reaction at room temperature. The CMSs and AgNP-CMSs were characterized using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and UV-vis spectrophotometry. Though with non-high specific surface area, the AgNP-CMSs exhibited a high adsorption capacity toward methylene blue (MB) in an aqueous solution. The AgNP-CMSs were able to remove all the MB from a solution of 30 mg/L MB in water within 1 min when the adsorbent concentration was 0.12 g/L. The AgNP-CMSs also exhibited good adsorption and photocatalytic activity in the decomposition of aqueous Rhodamine B as well as MB under visible light. FTIR was used to examine the interaction between AgNP-CMSs and MB, and the spectrum and more extra experiments suggest ionic interactions between cationic dyes and the negatively charged groups can be formed but not the presence of abundant π-π conjugations between dye molecules and the aromatic rings. The origin of the photocatalytic activity of AgNP-CMSs was attributed to a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effect of the silver nanoparticles on the CMSs.

Keywords: Adsorption; Carbon microspheres; SPR; Silver nanoparticles; Visible-light photocatalysis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adsorption
  • Coloring Agents / chemistry*
  • Methylene Blue / chemistry
  • Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
  • Microspheres*
  • Nanoparticles / chemistry*
  • Silver / chemistry*
  • Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared
  • Surface Plasmon Resonance
  • Waste Disposal, Fluid / methods*
  • Wastewater / chemistry
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical / analysis*
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical / chemistry

Substances

  • Coloring Agents
  • Waste Water
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical
  • Silver
  • Methylene Blue