Synthesis of magnetite/graphene oxide composite and application for cobalt(II) removal

A magnetite/graphene oxide (M/GO) composite was synthesized via a chemical reaction with a magnetite particle size of 10-15 nm and was developed for the removal of heavy metal ions from aqueous solutions. The composite was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The sorption of Co(II) on the M/GO composite was carried out under various conditions, that is, contact time, sorbent content, pH, ionic strength, foreign ions, and temperature. The sorption isotherms of Co(II) on the M/GO composite could be described well by the Langmuir model. The thermodynamic parameters (Delta H-0, Delta S-0, and Delta G(0)) calculated from the temperature-dependent isotherms indicated that the sorption reaction of Co(II) on the M/GO composite was an endothermic and spontaneous process. M/GO can be separated and recovered by magnetic separation. Results show that the magnetic M/GO composite is a promising sorbent material for the preconcentration and separation of heavy metal ions from aqueous solutions.