Synthesis of graphene oxide nanoribbons/chitosan composite membranes for the removal of uranium from aqueous solutions

Abstract

In this study, a graphene oxide nanoribbons/chitosan (GONRs/CTS) composite membrane was successfully prepared by encapsulating CTS into GONRs, which were unzipped from multi-walled carbon nanotubes. The GONRs/CTS composite membrane so prepared was characterized using scanning electron microscopy, X-Ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The effects of the experimental conditions such as the pH (2‒7), adsorbent dosage (10‒50 mg), experimental time (5 min–32 h), uranium concentration (25‒300 mg∙L⁻¹), experimental temperature (298 K‒328 K) on the adsorption properties of the composite membrane for the removal of U(VI) were investigated. The results showed that the U(VI) adsorption process of the GONRs/CTS composite membrane was pH-dependent, rapid, spontaneous and endothermic. The adsorption process followed the pseudo-secondary kinetics and Langmuir models. The maximum U(VI) adsorption capacity of the GONRs/CTS composite membrane was calculated to be 320 mg∙g⁻¹. Hence, the GONRs/CTS composite membrane prepared in this study was found to be suitable for separating and recovering uranium from wastewater.

Key words： graphene nanoribbons; chitosan; U(VI); adsorption

Acknowledgements

This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 21601033, 21866006, 11875105, 21661003 and 11705027), Natural Science Foundation of Jiangxi Province (No. 20192BAB202007), Natural Science Funds for Distinguished Young Scholar of Jiangxi Province (No. 20171BCB23067), Open Project Foundation of Nuclear Technology Application Ministry of Education Engineering Research Center (East China University of Technology) (No. HJSJYB2016-6), Open Project Foundation of Stake key Laboratory of Nuclear Resources and Environment (East China University of Technology) (No. NRE1509), and Fundamental Science on Nuclear Wastes and Environmental Safety Laboratory (No. 16kfhk02)

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