Mesoporous Silica from EFB and PKS via CTAB-Templated Synthesis for Methylene Blue Adsorption

Abstract:

The textile industry produces large volumes of dye-rich wastewater, with synthetic dyes like methylene blue posing environmental risks due to their resistance to degradation. This study synthesizes mesoporous silica from oil palm biomass, like empty fruit bunches (EFB) and palm kernel shells (PKS) from oil palms as adsorbents for methylene blue. Silica was extracted using 10% w/v NaOH, while CTAB, dissolved in 1.6 M HCl, was added in varying amounts (10, 15, and 20 g) to promote mesopore formation, then removed by calcination at 550 °C for 5 hours. XRF showed silica contents of 34.65% in EFB and 32.46% in PKS, while FTIR confirmed Si–O–Si functional groups. SEM revealed mild agglomeration from CTAB micelles, and SAXS peaks at 2θ < 3° confirmed ordered mesoporous structures. BET analysis showed ~3 nm pore diameters and surface areas of 333.97 m²/g (PKS) and 314.79 m²/g (EFB) with 20 g of CTAB. UV–Vis results indicated 80.9% methylene blue removal by PKS-derived mesoporous silica. Kinetic analysis indicated that the adsorption behavior of most samples was better described by the pseudo-second order model, suggesting a dominant role of surface-related interactions. These results highlight EFB and PKS as cost-effective precursors for efficient mesoporous silica adsorbents for dye-contaminated wastewater treatment.

• Periodical: Journal of Metastable and Nanocrystalline Materials (Volume 44)
• Pages: 47-56
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/p-2G046u
• Online since: August 2026
• Authors: Tri Partuti*, Jaka Fajar Fatriansyah, Donanta Dhaneswara, Andreas Federico, Syakira Faradiba, Ahmad Nabil Shahab
• Keywords: Adsorbent, CTAB, Mesoporous Silica, Methylene Blue, Palm Oil Biomass

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