Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences Vol 20 No 6 (2016): 1467 - 1473

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17576/mjas-2016-2006-27

 

 

 

ADSORPTION OF CADMIUM (II) IONS BY POLYACRYLONITRILE-BASED ACTIVATED CARBON NANOFIBERS/MAGNESIUM OXIDE AS ITS ADSORBENTS

 

(Karbon Nano-Gentian Teraktif Berasaskan Poliakrilonitril/Magnesium Oksida Sebagai Penjerap untuk Penjerapan Ion Kadmium (II))

 

Faten Ermala Che Othman, Norhaniza Yusof*, Juhana Jaafar, Ahmad Fauzi Ismail, Norfadhilatuladha Abdullah, Hasrinah Hasbullah

 

Advanced Membrane Technology Research Center,

Faculty of Chemical and Energy Engineering,

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia

 

*Corresponding author: norhaniza@petroleum.utm.my

 

 

Received: 21 October 2015; Accepted: 14 June 2016

 

 

Abstract

In this work, activated carbon nanofibers (ACNFs) from precursor polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and magnesium oxide (MgO) were prepared via electrospinning process. The morphological properties of the PAN/MgO-based ACNFs were characterized by using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and the specific surface area (SSA) were investigated using nitrogen adsorption, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) methods. Moreover, the functional groups were analyzed by using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR). Besides that, the sorption study has been conducted in order to determine the adsorption capacity between electrospun ACNFs/MgO, pristine ACNFs and granular activated carbon (GAC) towards cadmium (II) ions. The results showed that the SSA of modified ACNFs (198.80 m²/g) is significantly higher compared to the precursor ACNFs (15.43 m²/g), however the SSA obtained is quite lower compared to the average theoretical value. SEM micrograph of pristine ACNFs depicted more compact nanofibers compared to aligned nanofibers with average diameter of 200-700 nm. Under batch adsorption study, it was found out that Cd(II) removal of both ACNFs and ACNFs/MgO is higher compared to the commercial GAC. It has been demonstrated that the adsorption capacity of both electrospun ACNFs (ACNFs/MgO and pristine ACNFs) is higher when compared to the adsorption capacity of commercial GAC towards Cd (II) ions.

 

Keywords:  polyacrylonitrile, activated carbon nanofiber, magnesium oxide, cadmium (II) ion adsorption

 

Abstrak

Kajian ini membincangkan tentang proses penyediaan karbon nano-gentian teraktif (ACNFs) berasaskan poliakrilonitril (PAN) dan magnesium oksida (MgO) melalui teknik putaran elektro. Ciri-ciri morfologi bagi ACNFs telah dicirikan menggunakan Mikroskopi Elektron Pengimbasan (SEM) dan luas permukaan kawasan tertentu (SSA) telah disiasat menggunakan kaedah penjerapan nitrogen, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET). Selain itu, kumpulan berfungsi dianalisis dengan menggunakan Inframerah Transformasi Fourier (FTIR). Melalui kajian ini juga, kapasiti penjerapan diantara ACNFs, ACNFs/MgO dan karbon berbutir teraktif (GAC) terhadap ion (II) kadmium telah dijalankan. Hasil kajian menunjukkan bahawa SSA daripada ACNFs yang telah diubah suai (198.80 m²/g) adalah lebih tinggi berbanding dengan pelopor ACNFs (15.43 m²/g), walau bagaimanapun SSA yang diperoleh agak rendah berbanding dengan nilai purata teori. SEM mikrograf bagi pelopor ACNFs menunjukkan nano-gentian yang lebih padat berbanding nano-gentian berstruktur sejajar dengan diameter purata 200-700 nm. Di bawah kajian penjerapan berkumpulan, pembuangan ion (II) kadmium bagi kedua-dua ACNFs dan ACNFs/MgO adalah lebih tinggi berbanding dengan GAC komersial. Hal ini telah membuktikan bahawa kapasiti penjerapan kedua-dua ACNFs yang diperbuat daripada kaedah putaran elektro (ACNFs/MgO dan ACNFs) terhadap ion (II) kadmium adalah lebih tinggi jika dibandingkan dengan kapasiti penjerapan GAC.

 

Kata kunci:  poliakrilonitril, karbon nano-gentian teraktif, magnesium oksida, penjerapan ion kadmium (II)

 

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