Study on the carbamoyl phosphine oxide moiety functionalized mesoporous graphene for the removal of rare earth elements

Abstract

We successfully synthesized the carbamoyl phosphine oxide moiety functionalized mesoporous graphene (CMPO–AMG) for the removal of rare earth elements (REE). For this purpose, amine-functionalized mesoporous graphene (AMG) was fabricated by hydrothermal treatment of graphene oxide, ammonium hydroxide and triblock copolymer (pluronic P123). Followed by, AMG was modified using carbamoyl phosphine oxide moiety (CMPO, triethylphosphonoacetate), known as forming strong chelate with REE, through amide bonding between amine in prepared AMG and ester of triethylphosphonoacetate. The physicochemical characterizations of the obtained CMPO–AMG have been carried out systematically by powder X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and N2 adsorption–desorption isotherms. To evaluate the adsorption performance of the CMPO–AMG for REE, we performed preliminary adsorption test, using lanthanum(III) ion as a model ion for REE and the time-dependent adsorption capacity was studied by using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectroscopy.