Hybrid rGO/Fe3O4 magnetic nanocomposite for anionic and cationic dye removal application

Abstract

The adsorption removal of anionic and cationic azo dyes with magnetic nanoparticles was an important technological strategy for the purification of dye-contaminated water. The present work highlights the dye adsorption properties of the solvothermally synthesized hybrid reduced graphene oxide‑iron oxide (rGO/Fe3O4) nanocomposite for the efficient adsorption of methyl orange, congo red, metanil yellow, and methylene blue from the aqueous medium. Morphology, and porous characteristics of the material was analysed with FESEM and BET respectively. The magnetic properties of the material viz. M-H, FC, and ZFC were investigated with SQUID-VSM. The BET analysis confirmed the mesoporous structure of the hybrid rGO/Fe3O4 nanocomposite, with a BET-specific surface area of 27.74 m2/g. Dye adsorption experiments of hybrid rGO/Fe3O4 nanocomposite were conducted to analyse the influence of adsorbent dosage, dye concentrations, and pH variations. FTIR spectroscopy was also used to verify the adsorption of azo dyes onto the surface of the rGO/Fe3O4 nanocomposite. Hybrid rGO/Fe3O4 nanocomposite show complete adsorption of methyl orange, congo red, metanil yellow, and methylene blue dyes with adsorption capacities of 58.76, 100.3, 533, and 50 mg/g, respectively in the water medium. Hybrid rGO/Fe3O4 nanocomposite showed excellent adsorption of metanil yellow dye. The adsorbed azo dyes methyl orange, metanil yellow, methylene blue, and congo red by the rGO/Fe3O4 nanocomposite can be easily desorbs from the material indicating its reusability. The magnetic coercivity of the material at 300K was 47.4 Oe, as a result the adsorbent material can be magnetically separated from the purification system. The adsorption process of methyl orange, congo red, metanil yellow, and methylene blue dyes on the rGO/Fe3O4 nanocomposite best fits to the pseudo-second-order kinetics and the Langmuir isotherm model.