Preparation of PAN/PAMAM Blend Nanofiber Mats as Efficient Adsorbent for Dye Removal

PAN/PAMAM blend nanofiber mats with different ratios were prepared by electrospinning process for the first time. Their structures were characterized by SEM, N-2 adsorption/desorption and contact angle. It was found that PAN/PAMAM nanofiber with ratio of 12:3 has the highest surface area. The adsorption of methyl orange on blend nanofiber was investigated. With the ratio of PAMAM increasing in blend nanofiber, the adsorption capacity increased not very much. Overall the PAN/PAMAM nanofiber with ratio of 12:3 has the best property, its maximum adsorption capacity was found to be 120 mg/g although its surface area was only about 9.97 m(2)/g. It still maintained an efficient adsorption capacity even at 5th experiment, indicating an effective adsorbent for dye removal. The adsorption isotherm and adsorption kinetics were further investigated. The Freundlich isotherm provided the best fit for dye adsorption and the dynamical data fitted well with the second-order kinetic model. The possible mechanism was discussed.