Synthesis, characterization and dye adsorption of ilmenite nanoparticles

FeTiO3 nanoparticles (nano-FeTiO3 or nano-ilmenite) can be synthesized by the sol–gel method. In this study, the physical properties and dye adsorption characteristics of nano-FeTiO3 are investigated. A synthesized nano-ilmenite has a particle size of approximately 20 to 60 nm with a polycrystalline structure. The FeTiO3 nanoparticles exhibit weak ferromagnetism and show high adsorption capacity for methylene blue. Experimental data are fitted to pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order equations; the pseudo-first-order model is found to be more suitable. It also suggests that the Langmuir isotherm is more adequate than the Freundlich isotherm in simulating the adsorption isotherm of organic dye. The maximum adsorption capacity is 71.9 mg/g, therefore, the magnetic FeTiO3 nanoparticles show a considerably high adsorption capacity for organic dyes in a solution. These findings indicate that the nano-ilmenite is an effective material for dye removal and can be used to alleviate environmental problems.