Highly efficient removal of Pb²⁺ and Cu²⁺ ions using r-GO/PPY/SiO₂ based nanosorbent

ABSTRACT

In the treatment of wastewater incorporating inorganic and organic contaminants, graphene oxide and polymer-based nanocomposites have gained a lot of interest. In the current study, reduced graphene oxide (r-GO), polypyrrole (PPY) and silica (SiO₂) based nanocomposite material (r-GO/PPY/SiO₂) was utilised as an effective adsorbent for the removal of Pb²⁺ and Cu²⁺ ions from contaminated water. The r-GO/PPY/SiO₂ was synthesised using an efficient and low-cost approach, and it was then analysed using various techniques. Under the employed adsorption conditions, this material was demonstrated to be a very efficient adsorbent for the decontamination of Pb²⁺ and Cu²⁺ ions in wastewater. The highest adsorption capacities of r-GO/PPY/SiO₂ for Pb²⁺ and Cu²⁺ ions were evaluated to be 19.305 and 23.148 mg/g. The pseudo-second order rate constants have been determined as 90.9 and 66.225 mg/g/min for Pb²⁺ and Cu²⁺ ions, respectively.

KEYWORDS:

• Nanocomposites
• r-GO/PPY/SiO₂
• synthesis
• characterisation
• adsorption

Acknowledgments

I am grateful to the Division of Research & Innovation (Uttaranchal University) for providing all necessary facilities during the experimental work.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).