Polyethylenimine modified magnetic graphene oxide nanocomposites for Cu²⁺removal

• Key Words:Graphene;Efficiency - Iron oxides - Magnetic separation - Magnetite - Nanocomposites - Synthesis (chemical);Adsorption kinetics - Fe3O4 nanoparticles - Graphene oxide nanocomposites - High surface area - Polyethylenimines - Pseudo-second order model - Removal capacity - Removal efficiencies
• Abstract:Fe<inf>3</inf>O<inf>4</inf>nanoparticles were synthesized on graphene oxide (GO), then mixed with polyethylenimine to obtain GO/Fe<inf>3</inf>O<inf>4</inf>/PEI nanocomposites. Due to the high surface area of GO, superparamagnetism of Fe<inf>3</inf>O<inf>4</inf>, and excellent complex ability of PEI, the nanocomposites showed extremely high Cu²⁺removal efficiency. The Cu²⁺removal capacity was 157 mg g^-1, which is higher than most reported results. The adsorption kinetics could be best described by a pseudo-second-order model. Moreover, GO/Fe<inf>3</inf>O<inf>4</inf>/PEI nanocomposites could be easily recycled by magnetic separation. After five cycles, the removal efficiency remained 84%.<br/> &copy; 2015 The Royal Society of Chemistry.
• Volume:5
• Issue:1
• Translation or Not:no