Facile construction of ZIF-94/PAN nanofiber by electrospinning for the removal of Co(II) from wastewater

This study aimed to synthesize a novel nanofiber adsorbent based on metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), ZIF-94-PAN, by incorporating ZIF-94 into polyacrylonitrile (PAN) through electrospinning. The investigation of the adsorption characteristics of ZIF-94-PAN for cobalt ions was undertaken, yielding findings that suggest an optimum ZIF-94 loading content within the ZIF-94-PAN composite of 8%. The adsorption experiments revealed that, under pH 8.3 and 298 K, ZIF-94-PAN-8% attained cobalt ion equilibrium adsorption (139.08 mg/g). Additionally, the adsorption kinetics of cobalt ions exhibited conformity with the pseudo-second-order model, whereas adherence to the Freundlich isotherm model indicated a non-homogeneous, endothermic process. XPS analysis unveiled that the adsorption mechanism was characterized by the coordination of nitrogen and oxygen atoms within ZIF-94-PAN with cobalt ions. This study effectively addressed the challenges of separating and recovering MOFs adsorbents by fabricating them as nanofibers. The remarkable adsorption performance and stability of the ZIF-94-PAN nanofibers highlight their potential for removing cobalt-contaminated wastewater.