title: Novel PVA/MOF Nanofibres: Fabrication, Evaluation and Adsorption of Lead Ions from Aqueous Solution.
abstract: Plain polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) nanofibres and novel polyvinyl alcohol benzene tetracarboxylate nanofibres incorporated with strontium, lanthanum and antimony ((PVA/Sr-TBC), (PVA/La-TBC) and (PVA/Sb-TBC)), respectively, where TBC is benzene 1,2,4,5-tetracarboxylate adsorbents, were fabricated by electrospinning. The as-prepared electrospun nanofibres were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Only plain PVA nanofibres followed the Freundlich isotherm with a correlation coefficient of 0.9814, while novel nanofibres (PVA/Sb-TBC, PVA/Sr-TBC and PVA/La-TBC) followed the Langmuir isotherm with correlation coefficients of 0.9999, 0.9994 and 0.9947, respectively. The sorption process of all nanofibres followed a pseudo second-order kinetic model. Adsorption capacity of novel nanofibres was twofold and more compared to that of plain PVA nanofibres. The thermodynamic studies: apparent enthalpy (ΔH°) and entropy (ΔS°), showed that the adsorption of Pb(II) onto nanofibres was spontaneous and exothermic. The novel nanofibres exhibited higher potential removal of Pb(II) ions than plain PVA nanofibres. Ubiquitous cations adsorption test was also investigated and studied.
authors.affiliation: Applied Chemistry and Nano-Science Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Vaal University of Technology, P.O. Box X021, Vanderbijlpark, 1900, South Africa. davidshooto12@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ntaote David
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Shooto
authors.affiliation: Applied Chemistry and Nano-Science Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Vaal University of Technology, P.O. Box X021, Vanderbijlpark, 1900, South Africa.
authors.forename: Charity Wokwu
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Dikio
authors.affiliation: Applied Chemistry and Nano-Science Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Vaal University of Technology, P.O. Box X021, Vanderbijlpark, 1900, South Africa.
authors.forename: Donbebe
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wankasi
authors.affiliation: Advanced Materials Division, Mintek, Nanotechnology Innovation Centre, Private Bag X3015, Randburg, 2125, South Africa.
authors.forename: Lucky Mashudu
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Sikhwivhilu
authors.affiliation: Applied Chemistry and Nano-Science Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Vaal University of Technology, P.O. Box X021, Vanderbijlpark, 1900, South Africa.
authors.forename: Fanyana Moses
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Mtunzi
authors.affiliation: Applied Chemistry and Nano-Science Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Vaal University of Technology, P.O. Box X021, Vanderbijlpark, 1900, South Africa. ezekield@vut.ac.za.
authors.forename: Ezekiel Dixon
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Dikio
keywords: Adsorption; Electrospinning; Lead; Nanofibres