Composite Materials for Dye Capture: A Comprehensive Review

Dye pollution from textile, leather, and paper industries represents a significant environmental challenge due to the toxic, non-biodegradable, and visually polluting nature of synthetic dyes. Conventional treatment techniques often fall short in efficiently removing these persistent pollutants. Composite materials, which synergistically combine two or more constituents at the nanoscale or microscale, have emerged as effective materials for dye capture. This review explores various classes of composite materials including polymer-based, carbonaceous, metal oxide-based, clay-based, and metal-organic framework composites highlighting their synthesis strategies, mechanisms of dye interaction, and performance in dye adsorption and degradation. Challenges and future directions are also discussed to guide the development of next-generation materials for sustainable water purification.