Aluminium fumarate metal-organic framework: A super adsorbent for fluoride from water.

Potential of aluminium fumarate metal organic framework (MOF) for fluoride removal from groundwater has been explored in this work. The laboratory produced MOF exhibited characteristics similar to the commercial version. MOF was found to be micro-porous with surface area of 1156 m(2)/g and average pore size 17Å. Scanning electron micrograph of the AlFu MOF showed minute pores and texture was completely different from either of the parent materials. Change in the composition of AlFu MOF after fluoride adsorption was evident from powder X-ray diffraction analysis. Thermal stability of the AlFu MOF up to 700K was established by thermo-gravimetric analysis. Incorporation of fluoride phase after adsorption was confirmed by X-ray fluorescence analysis. As observed from FTIR study, hydroxyl ions in AlFu MOF were substituted by fluoride. 0.75 g/l AlFu MOF was good enough for complete removal of 30 mg/l fluoride concentration in feed solution. The maximum adsorption capacity for fluoride was 600, 550, 504 and 431 mg/g, respectively, at 293, 303, 313 and 333K.