Surface modified mesoporous silica polymer nanocomposites for adsorption of dyes from aqueous solution

Functionalized mesoporous silica nanocomposites were synthesized via in situ radical polymerization of vinyl monomers (vinylcarbazole, vinyl imidazole and vinyl sulphonic acid) and characterized for adsorption of dyes from aqueous solution. Physicochemical characterization (PXRD, SEM, adsorption studies etc.) of the functionalized nanocomposites showed the presence of mesoporous nature of the nanocomposites. Different adsorption parameters such as adsorption weight, adsorption time, temperature, pH etc., were optimized for adsorption of dyes under environmental friendly conditions. The adsorption studies showed 96.8 and 80.49 % removal for cationic and anionic dyes respectively. Adsorption kinetics of the dyes on the functionalized nanocomposites can be well depicted theoretically by using pseudo-second-order kinetic model.