Abstract
As a potential magnetic super adsorbent in wastewater treatment, Fe3O4 has been researched intensively up to date. However, its key problem of poor comprehensive magnetic properties is still challenging. In this work, an effective solution to this problem has been developed by a one-step carbothermal synthesis of Fe3O4 crystals, which are merited with pure-stoichiometry (FeO-phase free), high crystallinity, small-size (~10 nm), strong magnetism and sensitive magnetic response. The unveiled saturation magnetization of Fe3O4 nanoparticles reaches as high as 90.32 emu·g−1, and the fastest magnetic response time is as short as only 5 s. Such magnetic Fe3O4 super adsorbents exhibit outstanding performance when applied as an adsorbent for wastewater treatment. They can quickly and effectively adsorb methylene blue with an adsorption capacity of 62.5 mg·g−1, which is much higher than that of Fe3O4 adsorbents prepared by other methods reported in the literature. Importantly, this capacity is refreshable after removing the adsorbed methylene blue just by ultrasonic cleaning. With such combined outstanding magnetic properties and recyclable adsorption capacity, the problems associated with the conventional adsorbent solid–liquid separation could be resolved, thus making a forward development towards industrial wastewater treatment.
Highlights
Fe3O4 nanoparticles were successfully synthesized by a one-step carbothermal method, in which the crystallinity of Fe3O4 nanoparticles was over 82%
The purely-stoichiometric, monodisperse and small-sized (~10 nm) Fe3 O4 nanoparticles were successfully synthesized by a one-step carbothermal method, in which the crystallinity of Fe3 O4 nanoparticles was over 82%
The results show that they have a significant quick decolorization effect on methylene blue with a high adsorption capacity of 62.5 mg·g−1
Summary
Fe3 O4 nanoparticles have been used as adsorbents for wastewater purification and have gradually attracted great attention from scholars at home and abroad, due to their stable physical and chemical properties, strong magnetism, large specific surface area, and ease of dispersion [5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12]. With the development of industrial technology, water pollution is currently one of the most serious environmental problems, causing potential harm to the health of humans and other organisms [13,14,15]. Dye waste treatment in industrial wastewater has become one of the biggest challenges due to its high organic content, complex composition, deep color and contribution to large changes in water quality [16,17,18].
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