Synthesis and characterization of new nitrogen‐ and oxygen‐rich cyclohexanone–formaldehyde resin for fast Cd(II) adsorption in aqueous solution

Facile synthesis of green and efficient magnetic nanocomposites of carrageenan/copper for the reduction of nitrophenol derivatives

A green and facile method for preparation of Kappa-Carrageenan or Iota-Carrageenan grafted N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide/Fe₃O₄/Cu nanoparticles (κC-g-MBA/MNPs/Cu and ιC-g-MBA/MNPs/Cu) catalysts was developed to place copper on a magnetic carrageenan surface. The structure and morphology of the prepared catalysts were identified using FT-IR, XRD, BET, VSM, TGA, EDX, mapping, FE-SEM, TEM, and ICP-OES analyses. The catalytic activity of the catalysts was investigated to reduce 4-nitrophenol, 2-nitrophenol, 3-nitroaniline, and 4-nitroaniline compounds using the UV-Vis spectrum. To reduce 4-nitrophenol using κC-g-MBA/MNPs/Cu and ιC-g-MBA/MNPs/Cu, the rate constants (K_app) obtained were 0.37 and 0.25 min^-1, and the activity factors (k') were 134 and 193 s^-1 g^-1, respectively. The catalysts had a good performance in reducing the nitrophenol compounds and due to the magnetic properties of the catalysts, they could easily be separated and used multiple times.

Enhanced and Selective Adsorption of Zn(II), Pb(II), Cd(II), and Hg(II) Ions by a Dumbbell- and Flower-Shaped Potato Starch Phosphate Polymer: A Combined Experimental and DFT Calculation Study

Microwave-ultrasound-assisted facile synthesis of a dumbbell- and flower-shaped potato starch phosphate (PSP) polymer, hereafter PSP, was carried out by cross-linking the hydroxyl groups of native potato starch (NPS) using phosphoryl chloride as a cross-linking agent. Structural and morphological analysis manifested the successful formation of the dumbbell- and flower-shaped PSP biosorbent with enhanced specific surface area and thermal stability. Viscoelastic behavior of NPS and PSP suggested increased rigidity in PSP, which helped the material to store more deformation energy in an elastic manner. The synthesized PSP biosorbent material was successfully tested for efficient and quick uptake of Zn(II), Pb(II), Cd(II), and Hg(II) ions from aqueous medium under competitive and noncompetitive batch conditions with q m values of 130.54, 106.25, 91.84, and 51.38 mg g-1, respectively. The adsorption selectivity was in consonance with Pearson's hard and soft acids and bases (HSAB) theory in addition to their order of hydrated radius. Adsorption of Zn(II), Pb(II), Cd(II), and Hg(II) followed a second-order kinetics and the adsorption data fitted well with the Langmuir isotherm model. Quantum computations using density functional theory (DFT) further supported the experimental adsorption selectivity, Zn(II) > Pb(II) > Cd(II) > Hg(II), in terms of metal-oxygen binding energy measurements. What was more intriguing about PSP was its reusability over multiple adsorption cycles by treating the metal(II)-complexed PSP with 0.1 M HCl without any appreciable loss of its adsorption capacity.