Three different methods for ZnO-RGO nanocomposite synthesis and its adsorption capacity for methylene blue dye removal in a comparative study

Abstract Water is one of the vital needs of life. However, due to rapid industrialization, urbanization and lack of awareness, the world population now facing the threat of water shortage. To ensure that future living conditions are preserved, it is crucial to reduce water pollution and protect the...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Safaa A. Hussein, Gharib M. Taha, F. A. Adam, Marwa A. Moghazy
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-01-01
Series:BMC Chemistry
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s13065-025-01381-w
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1832595085338869760
author Safaa A. Hussein
Gharib M. Taha
F. A. Adam
Marwa A. Moghazy
author_facet Safaa A. Hussein
Gharib M. Taha
F. A. Adam
Marwa A. Moghazy
author_sort Safaa A. Hussein
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Water is one of the vital needs of life. However, due to rapid industrialization, urbanization and lack of awareness, the world population now facing the threat of water shortage. To ensure that future living conditions are preserved, it is crucial to reduce water pollution and protect the ecosystem. Zinc oxide- reduced graphene oxide (ZnO-RGO) nanocomposite is used in this study as an adsorbent for the adsorption of methylene blue (MB) dye from an aqueous solution. An easy strategy was used for the synthesis of reduced graphene oxide nanoparticles (RGO), Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO) and ZnO-RGO nanocomposite. The synthesis of reduced graphene oxide (RGO) was accomplished through the exothermic reaction of a modified Hummer's method. In a novel approach, zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) were synthesized using the green Leidenfrost technique. This study presents a comparative investigation of ZnO-RGO nanocomposite synthesis employing both green and chemical methods. Three distinct approaches were utilized to prepare the ZnO-RGO nanocomposite: (1) the innovative Leidenfrost green method for composite A1, (2) a chemical precipitation method for composite A2, and (3) a physical mixing sonication method for composite A3. This research marks the first application of the Leidenfrost technique in the synthesis of ZnO-RGO nanocomposites, contributing to the growing body of knowledge in this field. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Burnauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), Zeta potential, transmittance electron microscope (TEM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) analyses are conducted for synthesized sample characterization. Comparing the XRD patterns of the three synthesis methods, it is notable that the intensity peaks of composite A3 were the highest when ZnO was synthesized using a green method, indicating a higher degree of crystallinity. FTIR analysis approves that combining ZnO with RGO affects the functional groups of the three nanocomposite surfaces. The SEM analysis shows ZnO NPs and RGO sheets are incorporated together. In the case of A1 composite sharp angles make a flower shape was observed due to the unique synthesizing method. The surface area for A2 composite is the highest (7.29 m2/g) compared with A1 (2.91 m2/g) and A3(1.90 m2/g). A comparison study is made among the three nanocomposites for MB dye removal. The effect of adsorbent dose, pH, contact time and initial dye concentration on dye adsorption has been studied. The results show that A1 and A2 nanocomposites removed 85.5 and 87.5% of MB at the optimum adsorbent dose of 0.15 g/100 ml at pH8 and A3 removed 95% of MB at the optimum dose of 0.1 g/100 ml at pH 2. All three composites exhibited adherence to the Langmuir isotherm model, with correlation coefficients (R2) of 0.9858, 0.9904, and 0.9959 for A1, A2, and A3, respectively. Kinetic study results demonstrated that the pseudo-second-order model best described the adsorption process for all three composites, yielding R2 values of 0.9998, 0.9988, and 1.0000 for A1, A2, and A3, respectively. The A3 nanocomposite shows the highest adsorption capacity (104.5 mg/g) compared to the other composites (87.7 and 97.5 mg/g for A1 and A2, respectively). Desorption experiments revealed that the dye removal percentages varied with the ratio of the ethanol–water mixture used. Absolute ethanol achieved a 90% removal compared with 1:1 and 1:2 aqueous ethanol solutions (87.5% and 80%, respectively).
format Article
id doaj-art-f6259ba0b3fe4e379cd9f98d89e8c06b
institution Kabale University
issn 2661-801X
language English
publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher BMC
record_format Article
series BMC Chemistry
spelling doaj-art-f6259ba0b3fe4e379cd9f98d89e8c06b2025-01-19T12:08:30ZengBMCBMC Chemistry2661-801X2025-01-0119112610.1186/s13065-025-01381-wThree different methods for ZnO-RGO nanocomposite synthesis and its adsorption capacity for methylene blue dye removal in a comparative studySafaa A. Hussein0Gharib M. Taha1F. A. Adam2Marwa A. Moghazy3Environmental Applications of Nanomaterial’s Lab., Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Aswan UniversityEnvironmental Applications of Nanomaterial’s Lab., Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Aswan UniversityDepartment of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Aswan UniversityEnvironmental Applications of Nanomaterial’s Lab., Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Aswan UniversityAbstract Water is one of the vital needs of life. However, due to rapid industrialization, urbanization and lack of awareness, the world population now facing the threat of water shortage. To ensure that future living conditions are preserved, it is crucial to reduce water pollution and protect the ecosystem. Zinc oxide- reduced graphene oxide (ZnO-RGO) nanocomposite is used in this study as an adsorbent for the adsorption of methylene blue (MB) dye from an aqueous solution. An easy strategy was used for the synthesis of reduced graphene oxide nanoparticles (RGO), Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO) and ZnO-RGO nanocomposite. The synthesis of reduced graphene oxide (RGO) was accomplished through the exothermic reaction of a modified Hummer's method. In a novel approach, zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) were synthesized using the green Leidenfrost technique. This study presents a comparative investigation of ZnO-RGO nanocomposite synthesis employing both green and chemical methods. Three distinct approaches were utilized to prepare the ZnO-RGO nanocomposite: (1) the innovative Leidenfrost green method for composite A1, (2) a chemical precipitation method for composite A2, and (3) a physical mixing sonication method for composite A3. This research marks the first application of the Leidenfrost technique in the synthesis of ZnO-RGO nanocomposites, contributing to the growing body of knowledge in this field. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Burnauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), Zeta potential, transmittance electron microscope (TEM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) analyses are conducted for synthesized sample characterization. Comparing the XRD patterns of the three synthesis methods, it is notable that the intensity peaks of composite A3 were the highest when ZnO was synthesized using a green method, indicating a higher degree of crystallinity. FTIR analysis approves that combining ZnO with RGO affects the functional groups of the three nanocomposite surfaces. The SEM analysis shows ZnO NPs and RGO sheets are incorporated together. In the case of A1 composite sharp angles make a flower shape was observed due to the unique synthesizing method. The surface area for A2 composite is the highest (7.29 m2/g) compared with A1 (2.91 m2/g) and A3(1.90 m2/g). A comparison study is made among the three nanocomposites for MB dye removal. The effect of adsorbent dose, pH, contact time and initial dye concentration on dye adsorption has been studied. The results show that A1 and A2 nanocomposites removed 85.5 and 87.5% of MB at the optimum adsorbent dose of 0.15 g/100 ml at pH8 and A3 removed 95% of MB at the optimum dose of 0.1 g/100 ml at pH 2. All three composites exhibited adherence to the Langmuir isotherm model, with correlation coefficients (R2) of 0.9858, 0.9904, and 0.9959 for A1, A2, and A3, respectively. Kinetic study results demonstrated that the pseudo-second-order model best described the adsorption process for all three composites, yielding R2 values of 0.9998, 0.9988, and 1.0000 for A1, A2, and A3, respectively. The A3 nanocomposite shows the highest adsorption capacity (104.5 mg/g) compared to the other composites (87.7 and 97.5 mg/g for A1 and A2, respectively). Desorption experiments revealed that the dye removal percentages varied with the ratio of the ethanol–water mixture used. Absolute ethanol achieved a 90% removal compared with 1:1 and 1:2 aqueous ethanol solutions (87.5% and 80%, respectively).https://doi.org/10.1186/s13065-025-01381-wZnO-RGO compositeLeidenfrost green methodPrecipitationPhysical mixing methodAdsorptionMethylene blue
spellingShingle Safaa A. Hussein
Gharib M. Taha
F. A. Adam
Marwa A. Moghazy
Three different methods for ZnO-RGO nanocomposite synthesis and its adsorption capacity for methylene blue dye removal in a comparative study
BMC Chemistry
ZnO-RGO composite
Leidenfrost green method
Precipitation
Physical mixing method
Adsorption
Methylene blue
title Three different methods for ZnO-RGO nanocomposite synthesis and its adsorption capacity for methylene blue dye removal in a comparative study
title_full Three different methods for ZnO-RGO nanocomposite synthesis and its adsorption capacity for methylene blue dye removal in a comparative study
title_fullStr Three different methods for ZnO-RGO nanocomposite synthesis and its adsorption capacity for methylene blue dye removal in a comparative study
title_full_unstemmed Three different methods for ZnO-RGO nanocomposite synthesis and its adsorption capacity for methylene blue dye removal in a comparative study
title_short Three different methods for ZnO-RGO nanocomposite synthesis and its adsorption capacity for methylene blue dye removal in a comparative study
title_sort three different methods for zno rgo nanocomposite synthesis and its adsorption capacity for methylene blue dye removal in a comparative study
topic ZnO-RGO composite
Leidenfrost green method
Precipitation
Physical mixing method
Adsorption
Methylene blue
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s13065-025-01381-w
work_keys_str_mv AT safaaahussein threedifferentmethodsforznorgonanocompositesynthesisanditsadsorptioncapacityformethylenebluedyeremovalinacomparativestudy
AT gharibmtaha threedifferentmethodsforznorgonanocompositesynthesisanditsadsorptioncapacityformethylenebluedyeremovalinacomparativestudy
AT faadam threedifferentmethodsforznorgonanocompositesynthesisanditsadsorptioncapacityformethylenebluedyeremovalinacomparativestudy
AT marwaamoghazy threedifferentmethodsforznorgonanocompositesynthesisanditsadsorptioncapacityformethylenebluedyeremovalinacomparativestudy