Millimeter-sized carbon/TiO2 beads fabricated by phase inversion method for oil and dye adsorption

Abstract

Millimeter-sized composite polyethersulfone/TiO₂ beads were fabricated with different amounts of TiO₂ and the surfactant F127 by a modified phase inversion method and the resulting composite carbon beads were obtained after calcination. The composite carbon/TiO₂ beads were tested for oil adsorption and rhodamine B (RB) adsorption. For the adsorption of corn oil, the volume gains for composite carbon/TiO₂ beads prepared with 2–4 g TiO₂ and 0–1 g surfactant F127 were in the range of 46–77%. In the adsorption of linear paraffin oil and silicone oil, composite carbon/TiO₂ beads (CB-4 and CB-4-1F) prepared with 4 g TiO₂ exhibited volume gains of oil of 74–77%. CB-4 and CB-4-1F also exhibited enhanced adsorption of RB, and only 22% and 16% of RB remained in solution after 24 h of adsorption, respectively. This study provides an easy and low-cost method for preparing millimeter-sized carbon/TiO₂ sorbents for oil and dye adsorption.