Enhancing methyl violet 2B pollutant removal from wastewater using Al-MOF encapsulated with poly (itaconic acid) grafted crosslinked chitosan composite sponge: Synthesis, characterization, DFT calculation, adsorption optimization via Box-Behnken Design

In this research, aluminum metal-organic framework encapsulated with poly (itaconic acid) grafted crosslinked chitosan composite sponge (Al-MOF@PIC) was prepared. SEM, FTIR, XPS, XRD, and BET techniques were employed to thoroughly characterize the synthesized material and establish its structure and characteristics. The study discovered that the Al-MOF@PIC is an efficient way to remove dyes, which constitute a significant number of contaminants in industrial wastewater. Subsequently the adsorption of methyl violet 2B (MV-2B) dye, the surface area, pore size, and pore volume of the adsorbent decreased from 1860.68 m²/g, 1.62 nm, and 1.52 cc/g to 1426.45 m²/g, 1.11 nm, and 0.92 cc/g, individually. This modification suggested that a portion of the MV-2B dye had been removed by adsorption over the adsorbent's pores. The excellent adsorption capacity of the material was further confirmed by batch adsorption tests, which displayed a maximum adsorption capability of 646.76 mg/g for the elimination of MV-2B dye. The high adsorption energy of 26.8 kJ/mol designates that chemisorption is primarily responsible for MV-2B dye adsorption against the sponge adsorbent. The Al-MOF@PIC composite sponge demonstrated exceptional reusability over six cycles, demonstrating its strength and durability. The Al-MOF@PIC composite sponge successfully removes MV-2B from water by pore filling, π-π stacking, hydrogen bonding, and electrostatic interactions, which are the key mechanisms behind the adsorption of the dye pollutant. Its potential for practical applications is further demonstrated using Box Behnken-design (BBD) to optimize the adsorption consequences.