Boke, NuranGodongwana, Ziboneni G.Petrik, Leslie2018-02-282018-02-282013Boke, N. et al. (2013). Synthesis of an ordered mesoporous carbon with graphitic characteristics and its application for dye adsorption. Journal of Porous Materials, 20: 1153 – 1161.1380-2224http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10934-013-9698-yhttp://hdl.handle.net/10566/3552An ordered mesoporous carbon (OMC) was prepared by a chemical vapor deposition technique using liquid petroleum gas (LPG) as the carbon source. During synthesis, LPG was effectively adsorbed in the ordered mesopores of SBA-15 silica and converted to a graphitic carbon at 800 °C. X-ray diffraction and nitrogen adsorption/desorption data and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) of the OMC confirmed its ordered mesoporous structure. The OMC was utilized as an adsorbent in the removal of dyes from aqueous solution. A commercial powder activated carbon (AC) was also investigated to obtain comparative data. The efficiency of the OMC for dye adsorption was tested using acidic dye acid orange 8 (AO8) and basic dyes methylene blue (MB) and rhodamine B (RB). The results show that adsorption was affected by the molecular size of the dye, the textural properties of carbon adsorbent and surface-dye interactions. The adsorption capacities of the OMC for acid orange 8 (AO8), methylene blue (MB) and rhodamine B (RB) were determined to be 222, 833, and 233 mg/g, respectively. The adsorption capacities of the AC for AO8, MB, and RB were determined to be 141, 313, and 185 mg/ g, respectively. The OMC demonstrated to be an excellent adsorbent for the removal of MB from wastewater.enThis is the author-version of the article published online at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10934-013-9698-ySBA-15Ordered mesoporous carbonChemical vapor depositionDye adsorptionAdsorption isothermsArticle