Catalytic Removal of Selected Textile Dyes Using Zero-Valent Copper Nanoparticles Loaded on Filter Paper-Chitosan-Titanium Oxide Heterogeneous Support

A facile and highly porous heterogeneous matrix was designed as a support for zero-valent Cu nanoparticles. This heterogeneous support is composed of filter paper, chitosan, and titanium dioxide, and on this support matrix, a metallic Cu 2+ nanoparticle was loaded. The metallic Cu 2+ nanoparticle was then reduced to Cu 0 in NaBH 4 solution. The prepared catalyst (Cu/CHTiO 2 /FP) was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (XPS) and the results indicated that the synthesis of zero-valent Cu nanoparticles on the heterogenous support by this method was successful. The prepared Cu/CHTiO 2 /FP catalytic activity was investigated to remove four different textile dyes: Rhodamine B, Bromocresol Green, Methyl Orange, and Eriochrome Black T in the presence of NaBH 4 . The results show that the catalyst is efficient and can be adapted to remove the different classes of dyes studied. Aside from the catalyst's efficiency, it could be quickly recovered by simply pulling out from the reaction medium, washed, and reused. The reusability of the catalyst recorded over 90% removal after five cycles. Graphic Abstract