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. 2015 Nov 19:5:16730.
doi: 10.1038/srep16730.

Controllable Synthesis of Tetraethylenepentamine Modified Graphene Foam (TEPA-GF) for the Removal of Lead ions

Zhuo Han  1 , Zhihong Tang  1 , Yuhang Sun  2 , Junhe Yang  1 , Linjie Zhi  1
Affiliations

Controllable Synthesis of Tetraethylenepentamine Modified Graphene Foam (TEPA-GF) for the Removal of Lead ions

Zhuo Han et al. Sci Rep. .

Abstract

3D graphene foam for water purification has become pervasive recently, not only because it has high specific surface area for adsorption capacity, but also it is easily separated from solution after adsorption. However, it is still challenging because it is hard to improve the adsorption capacity as well as maintain the high mechanical strength. To overcome the challenge, Tetraethylenepentamine modified Graphene Foam (TEPA-GF) was synthesized via a one-step hydrothermal method by using GO and TEPA as raw materials. TEPA acted as both cross-linker to combine GO sheets together and reductant of GO during hydrothermal process. Results indicated that the resultant hydrogel's formation was highly dependent on the mass ratio of TEPA to GO, they cross-linked into a stable hydrogel with perfect cylindrical only when MTEPA: MGO ≥ 1. What's more, the highest mechanical strength of GF happened at the mass ratio of MTEPA: MGO = 3, which was up to 0.58 kPa. It was worth noting that TEPA-GF demonstrated high adsorption capacity for lead ions, which reached as high as 304.9 mg g(-1), much higher than that of other absorbents. Furthermore, TEPA-GF was easily separated from water after adsorption of Pb(2+), making it a great potential material for water purification.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
(a) Photographs of typical three dimensional GH and TEPA-GH (GH, TEPA-GH-1-1, TEPA-GH-3-1 and TEPA-GH-5-1, from left to right) (b) Histograms of the compressive strength of TEPA-GF. (c–n) SEM images of TEPA-GF. Low and high magnification SEM images and their corresponding models of GF (c,g,k,o), TEPA-GF-1-1 (d,h,l,p), TEPA-GF-3-1 (e,i,m,q) and TEPA-GF-5-1(f,j,n,r). (o) The proposed mechanism of TEPA-GF’s Assembly during the one step hydrothermal method and possible reaction pathways between GO and TEPA.
Figure 2
Figure 2
(a) XPS survey spectra of GF and TEPA-GF. Deconvoluted XPS C1s spectra of (b) GO, (c) GF, (d) TEPA-GF-1-1, TEPA-GF-3-1 and (f) TEPA-GF-5-1.
Figure 3
Figure 3
(a) FTIR spectral of GF and TEPA-GF, (b) XRD spectral of GO, GF and TEPA-GF.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Image of TEPA-GF before (a) and after (b) adsorption and (c) kinetics of Pb2+ adsorption of GF and TEPA-GF.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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