Publications by authors named "Kabelo Edmond Ramohlola"

The primary goal of this study is to prepare and characterize a ghatti gum/poly(acrylic acid)/TiO (GG/poly(AA)/TiO) hydrogel nanocomposite for adsorption of the dye malachite green (MG) from the aqueous phase in a discontinuous system. A variety of approaches were used to investigate the structure, morphology, and thermomechanical characteristics of the synthesized hydrogel nanocomposite. Response surface methodology (RSM) was performed to analyze the impact of three processing parameters, namely adsorbent dosage, dye concentration, contact duration, and their interactions on MG dye adsorption capacity.

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Carboxymethyl cellulose/poly(acrylic acid) (CMC-cl-pAA) hydrogel and its magnetic hydrogel nanocomposite (CMC-cl-pAA/FeO-C30B) were prepared via a free radical polymerization method and used as adsorbents for adsorption of methylene blue (MB) dye. The samples were characterized using Fourier transform infrared, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer, high-resolution transmission electron microscope, and dynamic mechanical analysis. The adsorption performance of the prepared adsorbents was studied in a batch mode.

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A novel composite of poly(3-aminobenzoic acid) (PABA) and a cobalt zeolitic benzimidazolate framework (CoZIF) has been studied for the production of hydrogen through the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The structural characteristics and successful synthesis of PABA, CoZIF and the PABA/CoZIF composite were confirmed and investigated using different techniques. Probing-ray diffraction for phase analysis revealed that the composite showed a decrease and shift in peak intensities, confirming the incorporation of CoZIF on the PABA backbone via in situ polymerization, with an improvement in the crystalline phase of the polymer.

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A novel, modified polypyrrole/-phenylediamine (PPy-PD) composite, decorated with magnetite (FeO) nanoparticles, and prepared via an in-situ oxidative polymerisation, was investigated. The PPy-PD/FeO nanocomposite was employed for the removal of highly toxic oxyanion hexavalent chromium Cr(VI) from an aqueous solution. The structure and successful formation of the PPy-PD/FeO nanocomposite was confirmed and investigated using various techniques.

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