Preparation of carboxymethyl cellulose/graphene oxide/ZIF-8 aerogels for efficient methylene blue adsorption

Despite the promising potential of zeolitic imidazole framework-8 (ZIF-8) for dye adsorption, addressing challenges such as aggregation and recycling difficulties remains essential. Herein,a novel three dimensional (3D) carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), graphene oxide (GO) and ZIF-8 hybrid aerogel (CGZ-3) was prepared via blending ZIF-8 into the CMC-GO matrix. The structure and composition of CGZ-3 were characterized by SEM, FTIR, TG and XPS. Adsorption experiments were conducted to optimize various parameters affecting the behavior of methylene blue (MB) adsorption. The composite aerogel exhibited an obvious lamellar network structure, with a surface rich in oxygen-containing functional groups such as -OH and -COOH. CGZ-3 demonstrated a rapid adsorption rate for MB, achieving a removal efficiency of 96% within 15 minutes. The entire adsorption process was spontaneous and endothermic, consistent with the pseudo-first-order kinetic model and Langmuir adsorption isotherm model. The maximum theoretical adsorption capacity was 427.35 mg/g at 298 K. Selective adsorptions tests demonstrated high selectivity of the composite aerogel for MB, and dynamic adsorption further confirmed the exceptional adsorption capacity of CGZ-3. After five cycles of adsorption-desorption, the MB removal rate remained above 95%, with an adsorption capacity exceeding 240 mg/g, highlighting the stability and reusability of CGZ-3. Collectively, the CGZ-3 would be a potential material for the adsorptive removal of MB in practical water treatment.