Hierarchical Porous Carbon Nanospheres for Efficient Removal of Toxic Organic Water Contaminants of Phenol and Methylene Blue

Hierarchical porous carbon nanospheres were synthesized by a hydrothermal process at 130 °C/24 h using different triblock copolymers such as F108 (PEO133PPO50PEO133; PEO, poly­(ethylene oxide); PPO, poly­(propylene oxide)), F127 (PEO106PPO70PEO106), and L64 (PEO13PPO30PEO13) as soft templating agents. Characterization of the samples was carried out by low angle XRD, Raman spectra, FESEM, TEM, and N2 adsorption–desorption studies. The BET surface area of the samples was in the range 600–750 m2/g comprised of micropores and mesopores. Nanospherical particles of size range 60–100 nm were formed. The synthesized samples were used for the removal of phenol and methylene blue (MB), the toxic organic contaminant in water. The maximum adsorptions of 98.9 and 100% were observed within 10 min for phenol and MB, respectively. For different soft templates, the adsorption capacity of the samples followed in the order CF108 > CF127 > CL64, which was affected by the textural properties of the corresponding samples. Selective adsorption of the samples was also studied in the presence of both pollutants, phenol and MB.