Fabrication of Zinc Oxide/Polypyrrole Nanocomposites for Brilliant Green Removal from Aqueous Phase

Zinc oxide/polypyrrole (ZnO/PPy) nanocomposites were fabricated by a in situ polymerization method. The structures of the nanocomposites were analyzed by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectra, thermogravimetric analysis and transmission electron spectroscopy. Then, the capability of ZnO/PPy on the removal of brilliant green from aqueous phase was systematically studied. The ZnO/PPy showed high adsorption capacity toward brilliant green, and a maximum adsorption capacity of 140.8 mg/g at room temperature was achieved. The adsorption kinetics demonstrated a rapid brilliant green uptake by ZnO/PPy, and the experimental data were well fitted to the pseudo-second-order model. The equilibrium data obeyed the Langmuir model. Thermodynamic parameters of \(\Delta {G}^{0}\) and \(\Delta {H}^{0}\) verified the spontaneous and endothermic nature of the brilliant green adsorption onto ZnO/PPy. Furthermore, the regeneration experiments revealed that ZnO/PPy could be reused for at least five times without considerable decrease in their original adsorption capacity, showing potential applications in purification of dyeing effluents.