Development of Recoverable Magnetic Bimetallic ZIF-67 (Co/Cu) Adsorbent and Its Enhanced Selective Adsorption of Organic Dyes in Wastewater

In the critical domain of wastewater treatment, the development of cost-effective, durable, and recyclable adsorbents with high adsorption capacities remains a significant challenge. This study introduces a novel magnetic bimetallic Metal–Organic Framework (MOF) adsorbent, MZIF-67-Co/Cu, doped with copper ions. The MZIF-67-Co/Cu adsorbent was successfully synthesized and structurally characterized, demonstrating remarkable selectivity for removing methyl orange (MO) from water. This high selectivity is attributed to the adsorbent’s high porosity and Lewis base properties at the coordinating metal ion center. The incorporation of Cu ions significantly enhances the porous architecture and increases the number of metal adsorption sites, leading to an impressive maximum MO adsorption capacity of 39.02 mg/g under optimized conditions (0.5 g/L adsorbent concentration, pH 3.0, 250 rpm agitation speed, adsorption time > 10 min). The adsorption kinetics closely follow the pseudo-second-order model, and the isotherm data fit well with the Langmuir model. The primary adsorption mechanisms involve electrostatic attraction and mesoporous interaction. This study highlights MZIF-67-Co/Cu as a highly efficient adsorbent with magnetic recovery capabilities, positioning it as a promising candidate for addressing critical issues in wastewater treatment.