Borax-cross-linked guar gum-manganese dioxide composites for oxidative decolorization of methylene blue

Borax-cross-linked guar gum-manganese dioxide (GGB-MnO₂) composite was synthesized using an environmentally friendly synthesis route and investigated for its efficiency of decolorizing methylene blue (MB) dye solution by an ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectrophotometric study. The GGB-MnO₂ composite was characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The composite (1.2 g/L) exhibited excellent oxidative decolorization of MB (30 mg/L, 50 mL) solution to over 99% in 6, 13, and 40 min at pH 4, 7, and 10, respectively. The complete decolorization of MB occurred via a catalytic adsorption-oxidation-desorption mechanism. The GGB-MnO₂ composite showed very good reusability and was stable after ten successive cycles with negligible losses of the decolorization efficiency.