Adsorption Mechanism of Methylene Blue on Purified Red Phosphorus and Effects of Different Temperatures on Methylene Blue Desorption

Abstract

Purified red phosphorus (RP) can be used as an adsorbent. However, the adsorption mechanism and reuse ability of purified RP have not been reported. This study utilized X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy techniques (a statistical physics model and the standard molar free energy of formation) to investigate the adsorption mechanism of methylene blue (MB) by purified RP. Purification did not change commercial RP structure according to X-ray diffraction. The results showed that the adsorption process only included physical adsorption according to Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and UV–vis diffuse reflection absorption spectra. The specific areas of commercial RP and purified RP were 0.02 cm3/g and 5.27 cm3/g, respectively. Thus, purified RP has a higher adsorption capacity compared with commercial RP. A statistical physics model showed that, as the temperature increased from 288 to 308 K, the qe, Dm and qsat of purified RP for MB increased from 179.87, 0.824 and 0.824 to 303.26 mg/g, 1.497 mol/kg and 1.497 mol/kg, respectively. The fitted values of ΔrSmθ, ΔrHmθ and ΔrGmθ were 104.38 J·mol−1·K−1, −2.7 × 103 J·mol−1 and negative, respectively. Thus, according to adsorption energy, the adsorption of MB by purified RP was a spontaneous process, which was mainly driven by entropy increasing. Compared with neutral dye, the purified RP had higher adsorption ability for the cationic dye and anionic dye. As the purified RP dose increased from 30 to 150 mg, the adsorption capacity of purified RP increased. However, as the MB concentration and pH increased, the adsorption capacity of purified RP decreased. The purified RP had excellent reuse ability and high temperature desorption can be applied to obtain its reuse ability.