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Cr(VI) removal from aqueous solution using chemically reduced and functionalized graphene oxide

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Abstract

Chemically reduced and functionalized graphene oxide (GO) was prepared by refluxing of GO with ethylenediamine (ED) using dimethyl formamide (DMF) as solvent. It was confirmed that both ED and DMF contributed to the reduction and functionalization of GO. The resulting adsorbent (ED–DMF–RGO) with amine groups was highly efficient in removing Cr(VI) from its aqueous solution and could be easily separated by filtration. The optimum pH for total Cr removal was observed at pH 2.0 and the Cr(VI) removal capacity of ED–DMF–RGO at this pH was 92.15 mg g−1, which was about 27 times higher than that of activated carbon, even nearly 4–8 times higher than that of various modified activated carbons. The presence of other ions such as Na+, K+, Ca2+, Cl−, and Br− had little effect on the removal of Cr(VI). Interestingly, Cr(VI) was reduced to low-toxic Cr(III) during the adsorption process, which followed an indirect reduction mechanism. Both the Cr(VI) adsorption and subsequent reduction of adsorbed Cr(VI) to Cr(III) contributed to the Cr(VI) removal. The obtained ED–DMF–RGO may be applicable in Cr(VI) removal if they are produced on a large scale and at low price in near future.

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Abbreviations

GO:

Graphene oxide

ED:

Ethylenediamine

DMF:

Dimethyl formamide

RGO:

Reduced GO

ED–DMF–RGO:

ED and DMF reduced GO

ED–RGO:

ED reduced GO

DMF–RGO:

DMF reduced GO

XPS:

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

13CCP MAS:

13C cross-polarization magic-angle spinning

TGA:

Thermogravimetric analysis

FT-IR:

Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy

SEM-EDX:

Scanning electron microscope-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy

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Acknowledgements

Financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (51125010) is gratefully acknowledged.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Bei**g National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Department of Applied Chemistry and the Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry and Physics of the Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Bei**g, 100871, China

    Youwei Zhang, **g Peng & Maolin Zhai

  2. State Key Laboratory of Organic–Inorganic Composites, Department of Polymer Engineering, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Bei**g University of Chemical Technology, Bei**g, 100029, China

    Hui-Ling Ma & Zhong-Zhen Yu

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  1. Youwei Zhang
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  2. Hui-Ling Ma
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  3. **g Peng
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  4. Maolin Zhai
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  5. Zhong-Zhen Yu
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Maolin Zhai.

Additional information

Youwei Zhang and Hui-Ling Ma have contributed equally to this study.

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Zhang, Y., Ma, HL., Peng, J. et al. Cr(VI) removal from aqueous solution using chemically reduced and functionalized graphene oxide. J Mater Sci 48, 1883–1889 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-012-6951-8

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