A simple method for preparing ultra-light graphene aerogel for rapid removal of U(VI) from aqueous solution

Donglin Zhao; Yangyang Wang; Siyu Zhao; Muhammad Wakeel; Zheng Wang; Rehan S Shaikh; Tasawar Hayat; Changlun Chen

doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2019.05.011

A simple method for preparing ultra-light graphene aerogel for rapid removal of U(VI) from aqueous solution

Environ Pollut. 2019 Aug:251:547-554. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.05.011. Epub 2019 May 9.

Authors

Donglin Zhao¹, Yangyang Wang², Siyu Zhao², Muhammad Wakeel³, Zheng Wang², Rehan S Shaikh⁴, Tasawar Hayat⁵, Changlun Chen⁶

Affiliations

¹ Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Materials, Key Laboratory of and Functional Molecule Design and Interface Process, Anhui Jianzhu University, Hefei, 230601, PR China; Key Laboratory of Photovoltaic and Energy Conservation Materials, Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 1126, Hefei, 230031, Anhui, PR China.
² Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Materials, Key Laboratory of and Functional Molecule Design and Interface Process, Anhui Jianzhu University, Hefei, 230601, PR China.
³ Department of Environmental Science, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan.
⁴ Institute of Molecular and Biotechnology, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan.
⁵ NAAM Research Group, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia.
⁶ Key Laboratory of Photovoltaic and Energy Conservation Materials, Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 1126, Hefei, 230031, Anhui, PR China; NAAM Research Group, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: clchen@ipp.ac.cn.

PMID: 31108287
DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.05.011

Abstract

In this study, graphene aerogel (GA) was successfully prepared through a simple hydrothermal method. The resulting GA exhibited a porous network structure with a large specific surface area (350.8 m²/g), ultra-light mass and easy separation from water. The pH_IEP value of the GA was estimated to be 3.5. The adsorption process and the factors that affect adsorption capacity were studied. The adsorption could be conducted in a wide pH range from 2.0 to 7.0. The maximum adsorption capacity of GA towards U(VI) at pH 4.0 and T = 298 K was 238.67 mg/g calculated from the Langmuir model. The GA had greatly rapid adsorption property for the removal of U(VI) at pH 4.0. Kinetic data showed good correlation with pseudo-second-order equation. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectrometry characterizations showed that GA adsorbed U(VI) through chemical interaction by oxygen-containing and nitrogen-containing groups functional groups. The results show that GA has excellent application potential as an adsorbent material for removing U(VI) from aqueous solution.

Keywords: Adsorption; GA; U(VI).

MeSH terms

Adsorption
Graphite / chemistry*
Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
Kinetics
Models, Theoretical*
Porosity
Solutions
Surface Properties
Uranium Compounds / analysis*
Wastewater / chemistry
Water Pollutants, Radioactive / analysis*
Water Purification / methods*

Substances

Solutions
Uranium Compounds
Waste Water
Water Pollutants, Radioactive
Graphite