An Electrospun Zein/Graphene Oxide Nanofibrous Composite: Typical Application as a New Biopolymeric Adsorbent in Removal of Methylene Blue and Malachite Green Dyes from Aqueous Media

In this study, for the first time, an electrospun nanofibrous (Nfs) composite was prepared from Zein biopolymer and graphene oxide (Ze-GONfs). The effective parameter in electrospining preparation of zrin-GO nanofiber was the amount of zein. Highly mechanical stable membranes were obtained using 30% w/v in glacial acetic acid. The fiber diameter distribution was in the range of 41–50 nm (zein), 31–40 nm (0.5% GO), 29–39 nm (1.0% GO), and 28–37 nm (1.5% GO). The structural morphology of the nanofibrous composites were characterized using Fourier transform infrared, scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray diffractometer. As an application of the prepared biopolymeric nanofibrous, the removal of malachite green (MG) and methylene blue (MB) (as cationic industrial dyes) from aqueous medium using Ze-GONfs was investigated as a model. The effect of various parameters such as solution pH, adsorbent dosage, dye concentration, time and temperature were evaluated by the Ze-GONfs. Detailed analysis of the adsorption kinetics showed that the adsorption process followed a pseudo-second-order model. The adsorption isotherm was best fitted by the Langmuir model. The thermodynamic results showed that MB and MG adsorption onto the Ze-GONfs was endothermic and spontaneous.