Aditya Rianjanu, Sephia Amanda Muhtar, Cindy Siburian, Kurniawan Deny Pratama Marpaung, Rizky Aflaha, Septia Eka Marsha Putra, Ahmad Afandi, Kuwat Triyana, Fatwa F. Abdi, Tarmizi Taher, Hutomo Suryo Wasisto
Effective wastewater treatment is essential for mitigating organic pollutants, such as dyes and antibiotics. In this study, the enhancement of niobium pentoxide (Nb2O5) nanostructures via molybdenum (Mo) doping to improve adsorption efficiency, selectivity, and reusability is investigated. Mo doping, successfully confirmed by X-ray diffraction, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, demonstrates effective integration into the Nb2O5 lattice, inducing lattice expansion and modifying its structural and surface properties. Mo-doped Nb2O5 exhibits increased adsorption capacities for methylene blue (MB) and crystal violet (CV), improving from 26.9 and 17.0 (undoped) to 35.4 and 44.8 mg g−1, respectively. In contrast, the capacities for Congo red and tetracycline decrease from 31.6 and 36.8 to 16.7 and 32.0 mg g−1, respectively. Isotherm modeling shows Langmuir-type adsorption with maximum capacities of 48.6 mg g−1 for MB and 52.4 mg g−1 for CV. Point of zero charge analysis indicates improved cationic dye selectivity, while recyclability tests demonstrate that Mo-doped Nb2O5 can retain over 96% of its capacity after five cycles. In thermodynamic studies, an exothermic and spontaneous process is revealed, with pseudo-second-order kinetics confirming chemisorption as the dominant mechanism. In these findings, Mo-doped Nb2O5 is established as a highly effective material for treatment applications. © 2025 Wiley-VCH GmbH.
Department of Materials Engineering, Faculty of Industrial Technology, Institut Teknologi Sumatera, Terusan Ryacudu, Way Hui, Jati Agung, Lampung Selatan, 35365, Indonesia; Center for Green and Sustainable Materials, Institut Teknologi Sumatera, Terusan Ryacudu, Way Hui, Jati Agung, Lampung Selatan, 35365, Indonesia; Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Infrastructure and Regional Technology, Institut Teknologi Sumatera, Terusan Ryacudu, Way Hui, Jati Agung, Lampung Selatan, 35365, Indonesia; Department of Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Sekip Utara PO Box BLS 21, Yogyakarta, 55281, Indonesia; Department of Engineering Physics, Faculty of Industrial Technology, Institut Teknologi Sumatera, Jalan Terusan Ryacudu, Way Hui, Jati Agung, South Lampung, 35365, Indonesia; Research Center for Advanced Materials, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), B.J Habibie Science and Technology Area, South Tangerang, 15314, Indonesia; School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong, 83 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, 999077, Hong Kong; Research and Development Department, PT Nanosense Instrument Indonesia, Yogyakarta, 55167, Indonesia