Abstract
In this work, graphene nanoplates (GNPs) were successfully prepared via direct chemical exfoliation from natural graphite. The properties of prepared GNPs were investigated using scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The resultant GNPs had a low bulk density of 0.015 g mL−1, C content of 99.6%, a lateral diameter of 5–15 µm, and thickness of <15 nm, respectively. The absorption capacity of the GNPs for a range of oils and organic solvents including pump oil, polydimethylsiloxane oil (PDMS), dioctyl phthalates (DOP) oil, olive oil, bean oil, mazut oil, xylene, ethanol, and ethylene glycol (EG) was evaluated. The effects of the sorption conditions such as the absorption time (sorption kinetics), temperature, and aging manner (static, stirring, and ultrasonic) on the absorption capability of the GNPs were also investigated. It could be seen that the GNPs revealed extremely high absorption capacities for oil and organic solvents, reaching 21–42 times their own weight only after 2 min of absorption at room temperature, which were found to be much higher than those shown by various commercially available absorbents.
Highlights
Oil spillage and organic solution effluents, which are the waste products of many process industries such as the plastic, textiles, pulp and paper, mining, and coating industries, have created serious environmental and ecological problems [1,2,3]
The graphene nanoplates (GNPs) prepared in this study showed a low bulk density of 0.015 g mL−1, C content of 99.6%, lateral diameter of 5–15 μm, and thickness of
These images show that the GNPs were extremely light and highly porous
Summary
Oil spillage and organic solution effluents, which are the waste products of many process industries such as the plastic, textiles, pulp and paper, mining, and coating industries, have created serious environmental and ecological problems [1,2,3]. It is crucial to develop novel methods for the effective treatment of oil and organic solvents in industrial wastewater. Various approaches, including the use of sorbent materials [4,5], dispersants [6], burning [7], bioremediation [8], and mechanical collection [9], have been employed for removing organic solvents and oils from wastewater. Carbon-based materials such as activated carbon and carbon nanotube sponges [10,11] are the most widely used sorbent materials for the treatment of oils and organic solvents in contaminated wastewater [12]. The development of a simple and cost-effective method for efficient and safe absorption of organic solvents and oils is rather a challenging task
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