New Semi-IPN hydrogels for Removal of High Concentrated Congo Red Dye from Aqueous Solutions
Six semi-IPN hydrogels (N1–N6) were synthesized by redox polymerization with different molar ratios of 2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA) and sodium alginate. Methylene-bisacrylamide acted as a crosslinker for DMAEMA, and calcium chloride was used as a crosslinking agent for sodium alginate. The synthesized semi-IPN hydrogels are characterized by swelling ratio, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), BET, thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), and differential scanning calor. The adsorption capacities of the prepared hydrogel polymers for the removal of Congo red dye from their aqueous solutions were studied at an initial concentration of 700 ppm. N3 and N4 hydrogels exhibited the highest adsorption capacities. The optimum pH and temperature were found to be 7 and 65 °C, respectively, resulting in adsorption capacities of 1365 mg/g and 1328 mg/g, with adsorption percentages of 97.53% and 94.857% for N3 and N4, respectively. The adsorption behavior of both hydrogel adsorbents followed Langmuir's model. It exhibited pseudo-second-order kinetics during the adsorption of CR dye, referring to the adsorption of CR on N3 and N4 adsorbents as chemisorption. The thermodynamic parameters have been calculated, and they refer to endothermic, randomness, and spontaneous adsorption. Desorption experiments were also performed, and NaOH was identified as the most effective eluent for CR dye recovery. Keywords: hydrogel, Semi-IPN, DEMAEMA, sodium alginate, adsorption, congo red