Excellent adsorptive performance of a new nanocomposite for removal of toxic Pb(II) from aqueous environment: Adsorption mechanism and modeling analysis

Herein, a novel nanocomposite (Fe3O4@[email protected]) was prepared and used for adsorptive removal of Pb(II) ions from aqueous environment. The magnetic nanocomposite (Fe3O4@[email protected]) was characterized using FTIR, TEM, SEM, EDX, element mapping analysis (EMA), TGA analysis, XRD patterns, VSM, BET analysis, XPS spectrum, and zeta potential. The FTIR study confirmed the modification of Fe3O4 nanoparticles with triaminetriethoxysilane and 2-aminoterephthalic acid while XPS analysis (with peaks at 283.6, 285.1, 286.3, 284.5.0, 288.4 eV) displayed the presence of CSi, CN, OCNH, CC/CC and OCO functional groups, respectively on Fe3O4@[email protected] The BET surface area, average pore size, pore volume and magnetization saturation for Fe3O4@[email protected] were found to be 114 m2/g, 6.4 nm, 0.054 cm−3/g, and 22 emu/g, respectively. The adsorption isotherm data showed that Pb(II) adsorption onto Fe3O4@[email protected] fitted to Langmuir and Dubinin–Raduskevich isotherm model due to better R2 value which was greater than 0.9 and qm of Pb(II) was 205.2 mg/g at pH 5.7 in 150 min. Adsorption kinetics data displayed that Pb(II) adsorption onto Fe3O4@[email protected] was fitted to the pseudo-second-order and Elovich kinetic models. Thermodynamic outcomes exhibited the exothermic and spontaneous nature of adsorption. Results showed that Fe3O4@[email protected] nanocomposite was promising material for efficient removal of toxic Pb(II) from aqueous environment.