Synthesis of nanocomposites from polyacrylamide and graphene oxide: Application as flocculants for water purification

Polyacrylamide/graphene (PAM/GO) based nanocomposites were synthesized and applied as flocculating agent for cleansing the solvent phase. In order to obtain the better dispersion of the graphene nanoplatelets in matrix the functionalization was carried out using acid and upon analytical characterization the successful fine dispersion of FGNp was found in the PAM matrix. The influence of GO concentrations on viscosity, charge demand, flocculating and dewatering with ambient micrometer-sized ground calcium carbonate (GCC) was well evaluated and elucidated. It was found that on increasing the GO content in the PAM/GO nanocomposites, the filtered weight of GCC suspensions also increases, and the filtrate turbidity decreased and it was also observed that on adding the GO both η and supernatant turbidity reduced: by growing GO concentrations, there was a fall in η and turbidity of cleaned water. The retention mechanism proceeds through a parallel method to microparticle retention system which is done via bridge/patch among pulp and filler.