Effective removal of organic dyes by tungstate oxide nanourchins

• W18O49 nanourchin shows excellent adsorption capacity for organic dyes.
• Oxygen vacancies in W18O49 play an important role in the adsorption of organic dyes.
• The adsorption kinetics is well described by the pseudo-second-order model.
• The adsorption is controlled by both surface adsorption and intraparticle diffusion.

W18O49 nanourchins were synthesized via a solvothermal reaction of WCl6 in triethylene glycol. They possessed high specific surface area of 103.4 m2.g− 1 and exhibited excellent adsorption capacity for the removal of methylene blue and rhodamine B. The equilibrium adsorption capacity toward methylene blue and rhodamine B reached 150.3 and 81.78 mg.g− 1, respectively. Oxygen vacancies in W18O49 played an important role in the adsorption of organic pollutants. The adsorption kinetics of methylene blue and rhodamine B were both well described by the pseudo-second-order model. The adsorption was found to be controlled by both surface adsorption and intraparticle diffusion. Our product is expected to be a promising material for wastewater treatment.

W18O49 nanourchins show excellent adsorption capacity for the removal of organic dyes.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide