SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATIONOF ORGANIC FUNCTIONALIZED MESOPOROUS SILICA AND EVALUATE THEIR ADSORPTIVE BEHAVIOR FOR REMOVAL OF METHYLENE BLUE FROM AQUEOUS SOLUTION

Three Mesoporous Silica (MPS) with different functional groups were prepared by one-step synthesis based on the simultaneous hydrolysis and condensation of tetraethoxy silane with organo-silane in the presence of template surfactant Polydimethylsiloxane-Polyethyleneoxide (PDMS-PEO). The prepared materials were characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) and nitrogen adsorption-desorption experiments. The results indicate that the preparation of methyl and phenyl functionalized silica were successful. The adsorption behavior of methylene blue from aqueous systems onto these mesoporous silica has been studied. Batch experiments were carried out to measure the adsorption as a function of contact time, initial concentration (2.5-20 mg L^-1) and temperature (288, 298, 308 and 318 K). The equilibrium of the process was achieved within (30-60) min. The adsorption of methylene blue on the mesoporous silica increases with increasing temperature which indicating an endothermic process. Adsorption isotherms were fitted with the Langmuir, Freundlich models. The kinetic data were analyzed using pseudo-first- order and pseudo-second-order models and intraparticle diffusion. The adsorption kinetics of methylene blue on mesoporous silica matched well with pseudo-second order kinetic model.