Modified bentonite by polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane and quaternary ammonium salt and adsorption characteristics for dye

Abstract

To remove methylene blue dye from water by adsorption, bentonites were modified by polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) and three kind of quaternary ammonium surfactants (dodecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide, tetrabutyl ammonium bromide, cetyl trimethylammonium bromide) in aqueous solution. Systematic adsorption experiments were carried out, the adsorption mechanism was studied, and the factors governing the adsorption of methylene blue on modified bentonite were discussed. The adsorption capacity of methylene blue on all three modified bentonites in 1000 mg·L−1 solutions quickly reached equilibrium within 2000 s, and the removal rate was basically 100%; however, the removal rate in raw bentonite samples was only 60%. The pseudo second-order kinetic model can provide satisfactory kinetic data fitting. The obtained adsorption isotherms fit well with the Dubinin-Radushkevich isotherm model. The thermodynamic results showed that the adsorption process was a spontaneous endothermic physical adsorption process. With increasing pH and KCl concentration, the removal of methylene blue increased significantly. The results of this study confirmed that the modified bentonite is a candidate material as a cationic dye adsorbent. Keywords: Polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane, Quaternary ammonium salt, Modified bentonite, Methylene blue, Adsorption