DOI: https://doi.org/10.14710/gjec.2026.31677

Effect of CTAB Templating on Mesoporous SiO₂from Rice Husk on the Adsorption of Methylene Blue

Melisa Nur Kibtiah  -  Departement of chemistry, Indonesia
*Rahmad Nuryanto  -  Department of Chemistry, Universitas Diponegoro, Indonesia
Yayuk Astuti  -  Department of Chemistry, Universitas Diponegoro, Indonesia
Open Access Copyright 2026 Greensphere: Journal of Environmental Chemistry

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Abstract

Water contamination caused by dye-containing industrial effluents remains a significant
environmental concern, necessitating the development of efficient and sustainable treatment
technologies. This study investigated the effect of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as a
structure-directing agent on the meso-structural properties and adsorption performance of rice
husk-derived mesoporous SiO2 toward methylene blue (MB). Mesoporous silica was synthesized
hydrothermally using sodium silicate extracted from rice husk, both in the absence and presence
of CTAB, yielding materials denoted as MS and MS-CTAB, respectively. Structural
characterization revealed that CTAB-assisted synthesis significantly enhanced the textural
properties of the material, resulting in a higher specific surface area (580.38 m2/g) compared to
MS (89.63 m2/g), along with improved pore uniformity and accessibility. These structural
improvements facilitated superior adsorption performance, with MS-CTAB achieving an MB
removal efficiency of 86.02 %, compared to 74.19 % for MS. Adsorption kinetics were better
described by the pseudo-second-order model, while equilibrium data were more accurately fitted
by the Langmuir isotherm model, with a maximum adsorption capacity of 63.29 mg/g. The
findings demonstrate that CTAB-assisted hydrothermal synthesis effectively improves the
mesostructural characteristics and adsorption efficiency of rice husk-derived SiO2, highlighting
its potential as a sustainable adsorbent for dye removal from aqueous media.

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Keywords: Template; Adsorption; Silica; Mesoporous

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