Single-helix carbon microcoils prepared via Fe(III)-osmotically induced shape transformation of zucchini (Cucurbita pepo L.) for enhanced adsorption and antibacterial activities

•Single-helix carbon microcoils (SHCMs) was firstly fabricated from zucchini.•A Fe(III)-osmotically induced transformation way was used for fabrication of SHCMs.•Adsorption behavior of SHCMs was examined using chloramphenicol as model antibiotic.•The SHCMs had excellent performance in chloramphenicol capture and antibacterial activity.•The adsorption and antibacterial mechanisms were systematically explored.

Carbon coils have many significant technological applications; however, most of them were fabricated using either expensive apparatus or complicated procedures. Herein, a versatile and simple method was used for fabricating valuable single-helix carbon microcoils (SHCMs) by Fe(III)-osmotically induced shape transformation of zucchini (Cucurbita pepo L.). This versatile strategy allowed to readily reach high surface area (365 m2 g−1), large pore volume (0.24 cm3 g−1) and a narrow average mesoporous size of 5.5 nm via a combined impregnation and hydrothermal carbonization process, and to achieve uniform SHCMs in a reasonable system. In addition, the SHCMs showed excellent performance in antibacterial property and the clearance of chloramphenicol, which should be a promising candidate for efficient adsorbent in water purification. The equilibrium data were well fitted to the Langmuir isotherm model with a maximal adsorption capacity of 124.32 mg g−1 at ambient temperature. The antibacterial mechanisms was also explored. The findings revealed that the Fe(III)-osmotically induced transformation is a potential route for large-scale preparation of SHCMs from appropriate biomass precursors.

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