SYNTHESIS OF REDUCED GRAPHENE OXIDE - Cu0.5Ni0.5Fe2O4 - PRUSSIAN BLUE NANOCOMPOSITE MATERIALS FOR CESIUM ADSORPTION FROM AQUEOUS SOLUTION

Abstract

Adsorbents composed of reduced graphene oxide, Cu0.5Ni0.5Fe2O4 ferrite and prussian blue (RGO-CNF-PB nanocomposites) were fabricated for the adsorption of cesium and rapid magnetic separation of absorbent from contaminated water. The morphology, structure and magnetic properties of samples were characterized by SEM, XRD, FTIR, VSM. The effect of pH, contact time and adsorption isotherms were conducted in batch experiments. It was found that reduced graphene oxide was exfoliated and decorated homogeneously with ferrite nanoparticles. Cu0.5Ni0.5Fe2O4 has the average particle diameter of about 15 nm and prussian blue has been covered smoothly onto RGO-CNF surfaces. The remanences (Mr) and coercive forces (Hc) are near to zero, indicating that obtained material is superparamagnetic. The adsorption of cesium could be suitably described by the pseudosecond- order and the Langmuir models. The highest adsorption capacity of the composites for cesium was evaluated to be 125 mg/g at pH = 7 and 25°C.