Designed synthesis of hematite-based nanosorbents for dye removal

We report the design and synthesis of two hematite (alpha-Fe2O3)-based nanomaterials based on effective hydrothermal conversion of chemically metastable K1.33Mn8O16 nanowires (KWs) in Fe(NO3)(3) aqueous solution. Insights are gained into the functions of sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS) and the mechanisms for generating large quantities of alpha-Fe2O3 hollow structures (FHSs) and K1.33Mn8O16@alpha-Fe2O3 heterostructured nanowires (KFHWs) in solution phase. The controllable growth dynamics allows convenient control over the morphology and production of the hematite-based nanostructures. Adsorption experiments indicate that the resulting hematite-based materials are powerful nanosorbents for swift removal of Congo red from wastewater at room temperature. The adsorption kinetics and adsorption isotherm are also investigated and the findings indicate that the as-prepared KFHW and FHS hold great potential as environmentally friendly filter materials for water purification and organic waste removal.