Adsorption of Methylene Blue on Lithium Titanate and its Composite with Carbon Dots: Optimization of Parameters and Adsorbent Recovery

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

1 Department of Chemistry, University of Sistan and Baluchestan, Zahedan, P.O. Box 98135-674, Iran

2 Department of Chemistry, University of Sistan and Baluchestan, P.O. Box 98135-67

Abstract

Porous lithium-titanium oxide (pLT) was produced by the combustion synthesis method. Based on the XRD pattern, as-synthesized powder phase was Li2TiO3. The carbon dots were incorporated on the lithium titanate sponge (pLT-CD) by using the microwave method and the natural precursors. Two synthesized structures were used to remove methylene blue from wastewater. A morphological comparison of pLT and pLT-CD was performed using field emission scanning electron microscopy. Elemental mapping of the pLT-CD composite was used to investigate the dispersion of CD on pLT and its stability in aqueous media. The experiments of methylene blue removal by adsorbents were designed using the Taguchi method. The effect of pH, time, temperature, and methylene blue concentration on the treatment process by pLT and pLT-CD were studied. The maximum removal percentage was observed at pH 8, room temperature, 10 min, and 40 ppm dye concentration on the pLT-CD composite adsorbent. The adsorption equilibrium was better described by the Freundlich isotherm, indicating multilayer adsorption on heterogeneous surfaces. Kinetic results followed a pseudo-second-order model, with pLT-CD showing a higher adsorption rate due to enhanced surface interactions and increased active sites. Adsorbent recovery was performed by UV-Vis irradiation on the saturated adsorbent to decompose the adsorbed dye. An efficiency drop of about 20 and 13.60% was observed for pLT and pLT-CD, respectively, after four consecutive cycles.

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Journal of Particle Science and Technology

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 03 June 2026

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History

  • Receive Date: 09 December 2025
  • Revise Date: 30 March 2026
  • Accept Date: 31 March 2026

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