Synthesis of Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles by Sol-Gel Technique

ABSTRACT: Nanosized Titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) powder was synthesized via sol-gel method using titanium tetraisopropoxide (TTIP) as the precursor. The as prepared nano powder was used for further characterization. The phase transformation was investigated by an X-ray diffractometer (XRD). The anatase structure of titanium dioxide was obtained after calcination. The microstructure was characterized by a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM)

Simplified Fixed Bed Design Models for the Adsorption of Acid Dyes on Novel Pine Cone Derived Activated Carbon

A novel activated carbon has been prepared by the activation of ground pine cones using phosphoric acid activation, and the nitrogen Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area was 869 m(2) g(-1). Equilibrium isotherms were performed to assess the capacity of the activated carbon using two acidic dyes, namely Acid Blue 113 and Acid Black 1. The monolayer equilibrium isotherm capacities of Acid Blue 113 and Acid Black 1 were 286 and 458 mg dye/g C, respectively. These capacities are significantly higher than commercial carbons and other literature carbons. For the first time, these carbons were tested in fixed bed experimental systems and data analysed using the bed depth service time model (BDST) and the carbon usage rate (CUR) model. In the fixed bed studies, the key parameters for a 20-cm bed depth for the BDST model at 50% breakthrough capacity are (a) for Acid Black, the BDST capacity is 149 mg dye/g carbon and operating time is 1,530 min and (b) for Acid Blue, the breakthrough capacity is 9 mg of dye/g of carbon and operating time is 195 min. The fixed bed study indicates that the BDST design models can be applied satisfactorily, and the pine cone carbon has significant potential but a more mesoporous pine cone carbon is preferable for the larger Acid Black dye. The CUR design method was not successful

Biosorption of Methylene Blue by De-Oiled Algal Biomass: Equilibrium, Kinetics and Artificial Neural Network Modelling

The main objective of the present study is to effectively utilize the de-oiled algal biomass (DAB) to minimize the waste streams from algal biofuel by using it as an adsorbent. Methylene blue (MB) was used as a sorbate for evaluating the potential of DAB as a biosorbent. The DAB was characterized by SEM, FTIR, pHPZC, particle size, pore volume and pore diameter to understand the biosorption mechanism. The equilibrium studies were carried out by variation in different parameters, i.e., pH (2-9), temperature (293.16-323.16 K), biosorbent dosage (1-10 g L(-1)), contact time (0-1,440 min), agitation speed (0-150 rpm) and dye concentration (25-2,500 mg L(-1)). MB removal was greater than 90% in both acidic and basic pH. The optimum result of MB removal was found at 5-7 g L(-1) DAB concentration. DAB removes 86% dye in 5 minutes under static conditions and nearly 100% in 24 hours when agitated at 150 rpm. The highest adsorption capacity was found 139.11 mg g(-1) at 2,000 mg L(-1) initial MB concentration. The process attained equilibrium in 24 hours. It is an endothermic process whose spontaneity increases with temperature. MB biosorption by DAB follows pseudo-second order kinetics. Artificial neural network (ANN) model also validates the experimental dye removal efficiency (R2 = 0.97) corresponding with theoretically predicted values. Sensitivity analysis suggests that temperature and agitation speed affect the process most with 23.62% and 21.08% influence on MB biosorption, respectively. Dye adsorption capacity of DAB in fixed bed column was 107.57 mg g(-1) in preliminary study while it went up to 139.11 mg g(-1) in batch studies. The probable mechanism for biosorption in this study is chemisorptions via surface active charges in the initial phase followed by physical sorption by occupying pores of DAB