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Magnetic amino-functionalized hyper-crosslinked resin as a reusable adsorbent for methylene blue
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  • Published: 25 March 2026

Magnetic amino-functionalized hyper-crosslinked resin as a reusable adsorbent for methylene blue

  • Claudia Cirillo1,2,
  • Mariagrazia Iuliano1,2,
  • Michele Modestino1,
  • Armando Galluzzi1,
  • Federico Olivieri  ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-1424-12573,
  • Rachele Castaldo  ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-4487-22873,
  • Gennaro Gentile  ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-1280-89263,
  • Massimiliano Polichetti1,2 &
  • …
  • Maria Sarno1,2 

Scientific Reports , Article number:  (2026) Cite this article

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We are providing an unedited version of this manuscript to give early access to its findings. Before final publication, the manuscript will undergo further editing. Please note there may be errors present which affect the content, and all legal disclaimers apply.

Subjects

  • Chemistry
  • Environmental sciences
  • Materials science

Abstract

Contamination of water resources by organic dyes is a major environmental issue associated with industrial activities. Methylene blue (MB), a widely used cationic aromatic dye, is particularly problematic due to its high chemical stability and toxicity, highlighting the need for efficient and cost-effective treatment strategies. In this study, a magnetic amino-functionalized hyper-crosslinked resin (Fe3O4@XDV-NH2) was synthesized and evaluated as an efficient adsorbent for MB removal from aqueous solutions. The material was prepared via post-synthetic amino functionalization of a hyper-crosslinked polymer followed by in situ deposition of Fe3O4 nanoparticles, combining high surface area, permanent porosity, and chemical stability with easy magnetic separation. Structural and magnetic characterizations confirmed the uniform incorporation of Fe3O4 without significant loss of porosity. Amino functionalization enhanced hydrophilicity and introduced polar active sites, promoting strong interactions with MB. Batch adsorption experiments revealed a maximum adsorption capacity of 79.60 mg/g at 298 K and pH 9 and 0.06 g L−1 adsorbent dosage. Adsorption kinetics followed the pseudo-second-order model (R2 = 0.976). Equilibrium data were best fitted by the Langmuir isotherm model (R2 = 0.996), indicating monolayer adsorption with a maximum theoretical capacity of 183.48 mg/g. Thermodynamic analysis showed that MB adsorption was spontaneous and exothermic. High removal efficiencies were maintained in complex matrices such as tap water (94.11%) and synthetic wastewater (78.41%). Moreover, the adsorbent retained approximately 89% of its initial capacity after six adsorption–desorption cycles, demonstrating good reusability. These results indicate that Fe3O4@XDV-NH2 is a promising and sustainable adsorbent for dye-contaminated wastewater treatment.

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Data availability

The datasets used and/or analysed during the current study available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

Rachele Castaldo acknowledges financial support under the Italian Science Fund (FIS 2 Call) funded by the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR) for the project HIerarchically Porous materials with tailored ADsorption properties to face environmental pollution (HIPAD, Proposal code FIS-2023-01686, CUP B53C24009520001, Grant Assignment Decree No. n. 23314 adopted on 11/12/2024 by the Italian MUR).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics “E.R. Caianiello”, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 132, 84084, Fisciano, SA, Italy

    Claudia Cirillo, Mariagrazia Iuliano, Michele Modestino, Armando Galluzzi, Massimiliano Polichetti & Maria Sarno

  2. Nano_Mates (Research Centre for Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology at the University of Salerno), University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 132, 84084, Fisciano, SA, Italy

    Claudia Cirillo, Mariagrazia Iuliano, Massimiliano Polichetti & Maria Sarno

  3. Institute for Polymers, Composites and Biomaterials, National Research Council of Italy, Via Campi Flegrei 34, Pozzuoli, NA, Italy

    Federico Olivieri, Rachele Castaldo & Gennaro Gentile

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  1. Claudia Cirillo
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  2. Mariagrazia Iuliano
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Contributions

C.C.: Conceptualization; data curation; formal analysis; investigation; methodology; validation; visualization; writing-original draft; writing-review and editing; supervision. M.I., Conceptualization; data curation; formal analysis; investigation; methodology; validation; visualization; writing-original draft; writing-review and editing. M.M.; A.G.: Data curation; conceptualization; investigation; methodology. investigation, writing-original draft. F.O.; R.C: Investigation; writing-original draft; visualization. G.G.; M.P.; M.S.: Supervision; validation; writing-original draft; writing-review and editing.

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Correspondence to Claudia Cirillo.

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Cirillo, C., Iuliano, M., Modestino, M. et al. Magnetic amino-functionalized hyper-crosslinked resin as a reusable adsorbent for methylene blue. Sci Rep (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-45545-7

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  • Received: 27 January 2026

  • Accepted: 19 March 2026

  • Published: 25 March 2026

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-45545-7

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Keywords

  • Fe3O4 nanoparticles
  • Hyper-crosslinked polymer (HCP)
  • Magnetic separation
  • Adsorption kinetics
  • Adsorbent regeneration
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