Structural, magnetic and adsorptive properties of nano spinel of cobalt aluminate doped with nickel for Cr(VI) removal

Abstract

Nanocrystallines of cobalt aluminate spinel doped with Nickel (MAl2O4; M = Co+2, Ni+2) were synthesized by sol-gel method. The MAl2O4 samples were prepared by using aluminum nitrate; cobalt nitrate, nickel nitrate, citric acid and diethylene glycol mono ethyl ether as precursor materials. The nanocrystallines spinel were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction(XRD), Thermal gravimetric (TGA), Scanning electron microcopy (SEM) with the energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) methods. The Specific surface area of the synthesized powders was measured with a Brunauer-Emmet-Teller (BET) apparatus using N2 adsorption. According to obtained XRD patterns the formation of single phase MAl2O4 completed up 800 °C. The average crystallite's sizes spinel and specific surface area at 800 °C were estimated about 11.07 nm and 154 m2 g−1, respectively. The results of SEM analysis show that the nanoparticles shape are as spherical shape, uniform and a little agglomerated. The magnetic behavior of spinels showed the magnetization decreased with increasing nickel ions. Adsorption of Cr(VI) by as prepared spinels were considered. The highest percent of Cr(VI) adsorption was occurred at contact time of 45 min, pH 7.0, and adsorbent dose of 2 g L−1. The order of adsorption capacity of sorbent samples for Cr(VI) removal was as follow: Ni0.5Cu0.5Al2O4 >Ni0.7Cu0.3Al2O4 >Ni0.3Cu0.7Al2O4>NiAl2O4> CoAl2O4. Kinetic studies indicated that the adsorption process follows by pseudo second-order model. Thermodynamic results revealed that the adsorption of Cr(VI) is endothermic, spontaneously process and feasible in the range of 298–338 K.