Open Access

ARTICLE

Removal of Dye Using Lignin-Based Biochar/Poly(ester amide urethane) Nanocomposites from Contaminated Wastewater

by Annesha Kar¹, Niranjan Karak^1,2,*

1 Advanced Polymer and Nanomaterial Laboratory (APNL), Department of Chemical Sciences, Tezpur University, Napaam, Tezpur, 784028, India
2 Research and Development, Rymbal, RTC, Sahibabad Industrial Area Site 4, Sahibabad, Ghaziabad, 201010, India

* Corresponding Author: Niranjan Karak. Email:

Journal of Renewable Materials 2024, 12(9), 1507-1540. https://doi.org/10.32604/jrm.2024.052220

Received 27 March 2024; Accepted 17 July 2024; Issue published 25 September 2024

Abstract

The pursuit of incorporating eco-friendly reinforcing agents in polymer composites has accentuated the exploration of various natural biomass-derived materials. The burgeoning environmental crisis spurred by the discharge of synthetic dyes into wastewater has catalyzed the search for effective and sustainable treatment technologies. Among the various sorbent materials explored, biochar, being renewable, has gained prominence due to its excellent adsorption properties and environmental sustainability. It has also emerged as a focal point for its potential to replace other conventional reinforcing agents, viz., fumed silica, aluminum oxide, treated clays, etc. This study introduces a novel class of polymer nanocomposites comprising of lignin-based biochar particles and poly(ester amide urethane) matrix via a feasible method. The structural evaluation of these nanocomposites was accomplished using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and powder X-ray diffraction. The polymer nanocomposites exhibited superior mechanical properties with an increment in tensile strength factor by 45% in comparison to its pristine matrix, along with an excellent toughness value of 90.22 MJm⁻³ at a low loading amount of only 1 wt%. The composites showed excellent improvement in thermal properties with a sharp rise in the glass transition temperature (T_g) value from −28.15°C to 84°C, while also championing sustainability through inherent biodegradability attributes. Beyond their structural prowess, these polymer nanocomposites demonstrated excellent potential as adsorbents, displaying efficient removal of malachite green and tartrazine dyes from aqueous systems with a removal efficiency of 87.25% and 73.98%, respectively. The kinetics study revealed the pseudo second order model to be the precision tool to assess the dye removal study. Complementing this, the Langmuir adsorption isotherm provided a framework to assess the sorption features of the polymer nanocomposites. Overall, these renewable biochar integrated polymer matrices boast remarkable recovery capabilities up to seven cycles of usage with an excellent dye recovery percentage of 95.21% for the last cycle, thereby defining sustainability as well as economic feasibility.

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