Study by thermal methods on the materials obtained by dye removal from waste waters with beech flour

The study is devoted to the characterization by both TG-DTG analysis and FTIR spectroscopy of beech flour, dyes and the sorbent-dyes products obtained through retention of the dyes from aqueous solution on the beech flour, to the aim of obtaining information on the nature of dyes’ retention, thermal behavior of the sorbent-dye materials as well as on their possible upgrading as fuel. Thermal analysis led to the conclusion that the mechanism of thermo-oxidative degradation is specific and the retention of dyes occurs on cellulose from beech flour. The nature of the bonds involved in dyes’ retention is also investigated by FTIR analysis, which evidences that dyes retention on cellulose is realized through hydrogen bonding between the NH and, respectively, OH groups from dye molecule and the oxygen atoms from cellulose. Involvement of the non-participating electrons of the nitrogen and, respectively, oxygen atoms of these groups in the extended electronic conjugation with aromatic nuclei strongly influences the capacity of the amino and, respectively, hydroxyl groups of forming hydrogen bonds, thus achieving dyes fixation on the sorbent. DTA analysis led to the conclusion that an improvement in the quality of the sorbent-dye materials as fuels is possible, as compared to untreated beach flour, as a result of the modification of the cellulosic fibers in the process of dyes retention.