Hexagonal tungsten trioxide nanorods as a rapid adsorbent for methylene blue

Hexagonal tungsten trioxide (WO3) nanorods were prepared from ammonium metatungstate, tetrapropyl ammonium hydroxide and potassium chloride. The product exhibited a high adsorption capacity toward methylene blue (MB), and the time required for reaching adsorption equilibrium is less than 5 s. The amount of MB adsorbed by WO3 in 5 s was equivalent to that adsorbed by activated carbon for 30 min. FTIR and UV–vis spectroscopies were used to examine the interaction between WO3 and MB. Ionic interaction and “imprinting-adsorption” were proposed to explain the adsorption property of as-prepared WO3 sample.

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► Hexagonal WO3 nanorods were prepared by calcining organic molecules modified tungsten precursor.
► Prepared WO3 showed fast adsorption property to MB.
► The amount of MB adsorbed by WO3 in 5 s was equivalent to that adsorbed by activated carbon for 30 min.
► The fast adsorption property can be explained by the ionic interactions between WO3 and MB.