Synthesis of SBA-15/polyaniline mesoporous composite for removal of resorcinol from aqueous solution

Polyaniline (PA) modified mesoporous SBA-15 composite (SBA-15/PA) was synthesized by respectively using aniline and ammonium persulfate as modifying agent and oxidant at 0 °C as a novel adsorbent for efficiently removing the resorcinol pollutant from aqueous solution. This material was investigated under the help of various characterization approaches, which suggests that it exhibits ordered two-dimensionally (2D) hexagonal mesostructure, high specific surface area (219.6 m2/g) and narrow pore size distribution centered at 8.8 nm. Polyaniline have been successfully modified on the pore wall of SBA-15. The adsorption experiments demonstrated that the SBA-15/PA composite can be used as an excellent adsorbent for removing resorcinol. Its uptake capacity can reach up to 128 mg/g in 250 mg L−1 of resorcinol solution. In addition, batch experiments were also conducted for analyzing the effects of adsorption conditions on the uptake capacity of the mesoporous composite, including pH value, adsorption temperature, and solution salinity. Moreover, kinetics of the adsorption process was studied by investigating the concentration changes of resorcinol solution with adsorption times. The driving forces for the adsorption process derive from the hydrogen-bond, π-π stacking, and acid-base interactions between the adsorbent and adsorbate. The high specific surface area and ordered mesochannels are also advantageous for the adsorption process.