Two-dimensional titanium carbide decorated nanoscale iron sulfide: Synthesis, characterization, and behavior for uranium (VI) removal

In this study, a novel nanocomposite of iron sulfide supported on two-dimensional titanium carbide (FeS@Ti3C2Tx) was constructed and applied in U(VI) removal from wastewater under anoxic conditions. The results demonstrated that FeS@Ti3C2Tx had excellent removal ability, and the highest scavenging capacity reached 1098.2 mg/g at T = 303 K, which was better than that on Ti3C2Tx or FeS material under the same experimental conditions. Various factors, such as contact time, initial pH, adsorbent dose and initial U(VI) concentration, were comprehensively investigated by batch experiments. U(VI) removal on FeS@Ti3C2Tx was strongly dependent on the initial pH, and its optimum value was at pH = 5.0. The reaction process of U(VI) removal on FeS@Ti3C2Tx reached equilibrium within 3 h. The kinetics and isotherm analyses under different conditions demonstrated that U(VI) removal on FeS@Ti3C2Tx was in accordance with pseudo-second-order and Freundlich models. These results suggested that the FeS@Ti3C2Tx nanocomposites could be an efficient scavenger for environmental remediation.(c) 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

In this study, a novel nanocomposite of iron sulfide supported on two-dimensional titanium carbide (FeS@Ti3C2Tx) was synthesized and demonstrated to have excellent U(VI) removal ability from wastewater under anoxic conditions. The FeS@Ti3C2Tx nanocomposite exhibited a higher scavenging capacity compared to Ti3C2Tx or FeS materials, reaching a maximum of 1098.2 mg/g at T = 303 K. The U(VI) removal was influenced by factors such as contact time, initial pH, adsorbent dose, and initial U(VI) concentration, with an optimum pH of 5.0. Kinetics and isotherm analyses confirmed that the U(VI) removal on FeS@Ti3C2Tx followed a pseudo-second-order and Freundlich model, suggesting its potential as an efficient scavenger for environmental remediation.