Abstract
Nanocomposites of reduced graphene oxide (RGO) with ferromagnetic α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles have been prepared in-situ by thermal treatment. The structure and morphology of the hybrid material were studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman, X-ray diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy. The results show a hybrid material highly modified with α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles distributed on the graphene surface. The adsorption kinetics show the presence of α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles on the RGO surface, and the amount of remaining functional groups dominated by ionization and dispersion. The adsorption kinetics of this adsorbent was characterized and found to fit the pseudo-second-order model. The α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles on RGO modify the electrostatic interaction of RGO layers and tetracycline, and adsorption properties decreased in the hybrid material. Adsorption isotherms fit with the Langmuir model very well, and the maximum capacity adsorption was 44.23 mg/g for RGO and 18.47 mg/g for the hybrid material. Magnetic characterization of the hybrid material shows ferromagnetic behavior due to the nanosize of α-Fe2O3 with a saturation magnetization, Ms = 7.15 Am2/kg, a remanence Mr = 2.29 Am2/kg, and a coercive field, Hc = 0.02 T.
Highlights
Antibiotics have become an important water pollutant owing their intense use over the past decades
The in situ synthesis of a hybrid material of reduced graphene oxide and α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles is presented, and the structure and morphology were studied by spectroscopy and electron microscopy techniques
FTIR analysis shows that after reduction at 700 ◦C, only a small amount of oxygen functional groups which correspond to C=O, C–O, and C–O, besides C=C (Figure S1) remains on the reduced graphene oxide (RGO)
Summary
Antibiotics have become an important water pollutant owing their intense use over the past decades. Graphene-based materials are promising candidates as adsorbents due to good chemical stability, large surface area, and the remaining functional groups as well the domains of conjugated π structure which allow the strong interaction between the surface of graphene and pollutants. GO modified with metal oxide or metal nanoparticles have been studied as adsorbents for several antibiotics and in some cases, exhibit a positive effect, some of them reduce the specific area and adsorption sites. The reports show that functionalities and adsorption properties of reduced graphene oxide are modified by the preparation method that impacts their surface chemistry due to the presence of oxygen and nitrogen functionalities. The in situ synthesis of a hybrid material of reduced graphene oxide and α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles is presented, and the structure and morphology were studied by spectroscopy and electron microscopy techniques. The magnetic properties of the nanocomposite were evaluated to study the potential as magnetic removal adsorbent
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