International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, 2019 (SCI-Expanded)
Magnetic halloysite–chitosan (MHNT-CTN) nanocomposites were synthesized by turning magnetic halloysite nanotubes
(MHNTs) into nanocomposites using biopolymeric chitosan (CTN). The magnetic properties of pure halloysite nanotubes
(HNTs) were achieved using the co-precipitation method, and MHNTs were synthesized. The characterization of the MHNTCTN nanocomposite and the pure states of the components forming the nanocomposite was performed by FTIR, TGA, TEM,
and VSM. Methylene blue (MB) adsorption on MHNT-CTN nanocomposites was investigated as a function of medium
pH, the mass ratio of the components forming the nanocomposite material, and the initial MB concentration. The optimum
conditions for MB adsorption on MHNT-CTN were determined as pH 8.0, in a solution volume of 25 mL, 25 mg MHNTCTN, and the MHNT-to-CTN mass ratio of 2:1. The highest adsorption efciency for MB adsorption on MHNT2-CTN1 was
reached at an initial MB concentration of 20 mg/L, and it was found to be 83.9%. The adsorption equilibrium data obtained
from the studies on MB adsorption on MHNT-CTN were used to investigate compatibility with the Langmuir, Freundlich,
and Redlich–Peterson adsorption models. It was found out that the MB adsorption kinetics was compatible with the pseudosecond-order model.