Removal of phenol using Fe2O3/mordenite composite as an efficient adsorbent

This study synthesized a Fe2O3/mordenite composite characterized by different methods (XRD,SEM, HRTEM, X-ray fluorescence and surface area). The removal efficiency of phenol using the Fe2O3/mordenite composite was investigated under various experimental conditions, such as temperature, pH, initial phenol concentration, and catalyst dosage. The results showed that the composite exhibited excellent catalytic activity, with a maximum phenol removal efficiency of 98.3% under the optimized conditions of 30 °C, pH 7, 100 mg/L initial phenol concentration, and 0.1 g/L catalyst dosage. The data show an excellent fit of the Freundlich model with an R2 value of 0.995, indicating that this model describes the experimental data better than the Langmuir model. The pseudo-second-order model fits exceptionally well with an R2 value of 0.9996. The negative Gibbs free energy change (ΔG°) values across different temperatures (298 K, 313 K, and 333 K) indicate that the adsorption of phenol onto Fe2O3/mordenite is spontaneous under all studied conditions. The negative enthalpy change (ΔH° = − 43.178 kJ/mol) indicates that the adsorption process is exothermic. The reusability of the catalyst was also demonstrated, with the composite maintaining its high removal efficiency after multiple cycles. The study highlights the potential of the Fe2O3/mordenite composite as a promising and efficient catalyst for the remediation of phenol-contaminated wastewater. The simplicity of the synthesis method and the high removal efficiency make this composite a viable and cost-effective option for practical applications.