Structural and functional design of CTAB-geopolymer adsorbents for rapid removal of tetracycline: A comparative study

[Display omitted] •A novel CTAB-geopolymer adsorbent systems based on structure–function design strategy was proposed.•The adsorption of tetracycline was determined by electrostatic interaction assisted by hydrogen-bonding and n-π interaction.•An adsorption efficiency of powder adsorbent reached 92.38 % TC at 2 min.•A high accuracy performance prediction model with the mean R2 value tended to 1 was provided. A powder, inorganic membrane and 3D printing cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB)-geopolymer adsorbents system for adsorbing tetracycline (TC) was developed. And the adsorption properties, adsorption mechanism, adsorption cycle application based on the dynamic pH of adsorption system were systematically investigated by experiment, characterization and density functional theory (DFT) calculation. The introduction of CTAB significantly increased the adsorption response to TC in the high alkaline environment caused by spontaneous alkali release of geopolymer. The adsorption of CTAB-geopolymer for TC was most efficient in the dynamic pH range corresponding to TC- species. The predominant influencing mechanism between CTAB-geopolymer with TC was electrostatic interaction assisted by the hydrogen bonding and n-π interaction. The powder adsorbent with 11 wt% CTAB can capture 92.38 % TC at 2 min and fitted the pseudo-second-order model, and was also suitable for adsorption of trace TC. Although the extension of the diffusion path of the monolithic adsorbents limited the adsorption rate, the 3D printed adsorbent showed an adsorption efficiency of 84.20 % at 302 min. The outstanding adsorption (4 times)-desorption (3 times) cycle properties of 11 %CT-GA (81.15 % at 24 min, 4th adsorption) and cycle cumulative adsorption efficiency of 11 %CT-3DP (59.23 % at 120 min, 4th adsorption) adsorbent were exhibited. Furthermore, a high accuracy performance prediction model with the mean R2 value tended to 1 and the low root mean square error (0.0747) was provided, which can provide theoretical and technical reference for the subsequent industrial application of CTAB-geopolymer adsorbents.