Microwave hydrothermal synthesis, characterization and excellent uranium adsorption properties of CoFe₂O₄@rGO nanocomposite

Abstract

To improve the adsorption performance and simplify uranium separation from aqueous media in post-treatment processes, a magnetic CoFe₂O₄@rGO composite was synthesized by microwave-hydrothermal method. The results of XRD, Raman, TEM/HRTEM, FTIR, BET and VSM characterization show that spinel-type cobalt ferrite CoFe₂O₄ nanoparticles ca. 13.4 nm in size are dispersedly anchored on the graphene sheet, and the saturation magnetization of the nanocomposite is 46.7 mA/(m²·g). The effects of different pH, initial concentration and other conditions on uranium adsorption capacity were investigated, and adsorption kinetics equations were fitted to determine the adsorption behaviour of uranium on CoFe₂O₄@rGO in simulated uranium-containing seawater. It was observed that the uranium adsorption capacity of CoFe₂O₄@rGO composite at pH=5 is 127.6 mg/g, which is 1.31 and 2.43 times that of rGO and pure CoFe₂O₄. The adsorption process conforms to Langmuir and quasi-second-order kinetic model. The excellent adsorption performance of CoFe₂O₄@rGO makes it potentially useful in the treatment of uranium-polluted water.

Keywords

CoFe₂O₄ / graphene / uranium / adsorption properties

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