Fabrication of Amino Functionalized Magnetic Expanded Graphite Nanohybrids for Application in Removal of Ag(I) from Aqueous Solution

Abstract

Ethylenediamine functionalized magnetic expanded graphite decorated with Fe3O4 nanoparticles (MEG-NH2) was fabricated by one-pot solvothermal method. The as-prepared MEG-NH2 nanohybrids were characterized by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), and Zeta potential analyzer. The effects of Fe3O4 content in MEG-NH2 nanohybrids, pH, initial concentration, contact time, and dosage on adsorption properties of the MEG-NH2 nanohybrids for Ag(I) from aqueous solution were investigated by batch experiments. The pseudo-first-order and the pseudo-second-order kinetic models were utilized to study adsorption kinetics. The experimental data was also analyzed with Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin, and Dubinin-Radushkevich isotherm models. The results show that Ag(I) was reduced to silver in the process of the adsorption by MEG-NH2 nanohybrids; the experimental data was better fitted to pseudo-second-order model and Langmuir isotherm model which revealed that the adsorption process was a chemical adsorption by the formation of silver on the surface of MEG-NH2 nanohybrids.