Wang Xiangke

Simultaneous removal of uranium and humic acid by cyclodextrin modified graphene oxide nanosheets

Cyclodextrin-modified graphene oxide nanosheets (denoted as CD/GO) were synthesized by an in-situ polymerization method and characterized by as well as Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy and potentiometric acid-base titration. The characterization results indicated that CD was successfully grafted onto GO surfaces by forming a chemical bond. Mutual effects on the simultaneous removal of hexavalent uranium and humic acid by CD/GO from aqueous solution were investigated. The results indicated that U(VI) and humic acid (HA) sorption on CD/GO were greatly affected by pH and ionic strength. The presence of HA enhanced U(VI) sorption at low pH and reduced U(VI) sorption at high pH, whereas the presence of U(VI) enhanced HA sorption. The surface adsorbed HA acted as a “bridge” between U(VI) and CD/GO, and formed strong inner-sphere surface complexes with U(VI). Sorption isotherms of U(VI) or HA on CD/GO could be well fitted by the Langmuir model. This work highlights that CD/GO can be used as a promising material in the enrichment of U(VI) and HA from wastewater in U(VI) and humic substances obtained by environmental pollution cleanup.

Adsorption of Eu(III) on titanate nanotubes studied by a combination of batch and EXAFS technique

The effects of pH, contact time and natural organic ligands on radionuclide Eu(III) adsorption and mechanism on titanate nanotubes (TNTs) are studied by a combination of batch and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) techniques. Macroscopic measurements show that the adsorption is ionic strength dependent at pH < 6.0, but ionic strength independent at pH > 6.0. The presence of humic acid (HA) / fulvic acid (FA) increases Eu(III) adsorption on TNTs at low pH, but reduces Eu(III) adsorption at high pH. The results of EXAFS analysis indicate that Eu(III) adsorption on TNTs is dominated by outer-sphere surface complexation at pH < 6.0, whereas by inner-sphere surface complexation at pH > 6.0. At pH < 6.0, Eu(III) consists of ∼ 9 O atoms at REu-O ≈ 2.40 Å in the first coordination sphere, and a decrease in NEu-O with increasing pH indicates the introduction of more asymmetry in the first sphere of adsorbed Eu(III). At long contact time or high pH values, the Eu(III) consists of ∼2 Eu at REu-Eu ≈ 3.60 Å and ∼ 1 Ti at REu-Ti ≈ 4.40 Å, indicating the formation of inner-sphere surface complexation, surface precipitation or surface polymers. Surface adsorbed HA/FA on TNTs modifies the species of adsorbed Eu(III) as well as the local atomic structures of adsorbed Eu(III) on HA/FA-TNT hybrids. Adsorbed Eu(III) on HA/FA-TNT hybrids forms both ligand-bridging ternary surface complexes (Eu-HA/FA-TNTs) as well as surface complexes in which Eu(III) remains directly bound to TNT surface hydroxyl groups (i.e., binary Eu-TNTs or Eu-bridging ternary surface complexes (HA/FA-Eu-TNTs)). The findings in this work are important to describe Eu(III) interaction with nanomaterials at molecular level and will help to improve the understanding of Eu(III) physicochemical behavior in the natural environment.

Surface Modification of Nanometre Silicon Carbide Powder with Polystyrene by Inductively Coupled Plasma

An investigation was made into polystyrene (PS) grafted onto nanometre silicon carbide (SiC) particles. In our experiment, the grafting polymerization reaction was induced by a radio frequency (RF) inductively coupled plasma (ICP) treatment of the nanometre powder. FTIR (Fourier transform infrared spectrum) and XPS (X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy) results reveal that PS is grafted onto the surface of silicon carbide powder. An analysis is presented on the effectiveness of this approach as a function of plasma operating variables including the plasma treating power, treating time, and grafting reaction temperature and time.