Adsorptive Sequestration of Methylene Blue and Methyl Orange Using a Zinc-Based Metal-Organic Framework: Synthesis, Characterization, and Mechanistic Insights
摘要
In pursuit of advanced materials for selective adsorption and separation, we synthesized a 3D zinc-based metal-organic framework, {[Zn3(BTC)2]·xDMF·yH2O}n (ZA-1) using 1,3,5-Benzenetricarboxylic acid (H3BTC). SCXRD identifies two crystallographically distinct Zn environments, i.e., Zn1 (distorted octahedral) and Zn2 (distorted tetrahedral), resulting in a well-defined sab; scu-3,6-I4cm topology. Structural integrity and chemical robustness were confirmed by FTIR, PXRD, SEM-EDX, BET, and XPS. BET analysis yielded a surface area of 2.3734 m2 g− 1 with an average pore diameter of ~ 10.581 nm. XPS profile reveals C 1s peaks at 287.38 eV (O–C = O), 286.2 eV (C–N), and 285.1 eV (C–C/C = C); O 1s at 532.3 eV (O–C = O) and 531.4 eV (Zn–O); N 1s peak at 399.1 eV (C–N), with Zn 2p peaks at 1045.2 eV (2p1/2) and 1022.1 eV (2p3/2), confirming the Zn2+ coordination environment. Adsorption studies demonstrate pronounced selectivity toward MB, achieving 62.7% removal within the first 30 min and a maximum uptake of 30.43 mg g− 1, whereas MO exhibits comparatively lower removal efficiency (44.9%) and capacity (22.43 mg g− 1). In mixed dye systems, ZA-1 exhibits rapid and preferential uptake of MB while leaving MO largely unadsorbed, indicating charge-selective adsorption behavior. Thermodynamic analysis confirms that the adsorption is exothermic and spontaneous, while kinetic data are best described by the pseudo-first order model consistent with a physisorption-dominated mechanism.