Mercuric ion capturing by recoverable titanium carbide magnetic nanocomposite

Two-dimensional metal carbides and nitrides (MXenes) have attracted increasing attention for application in water/wastewater treatment. The functionalization of MXenes to increase their stability while demonstrating high pollutant removal can facilitate sustainable water/wastewater treatment processes. In this study, the highly stable magnetic titanium carbide (Ti3C2Tx) MXene,nanocomposite (MGMX nanocomposite) was successfully synthesized through a facile hydrothermal approach and was tested for aqueous-phase adsorptive removal of mercuric ions. The synthesized MGMX nanocomposite was studied using characteristic analyses, showing high stability as revealed by zeta-potential analysis and dynamic light-scattering technique. The MGMX nanocomposite presented excellent Hg(II) removal in a wide range of pH conditions, and an exceptional maximum experimental Hg(II) uptake capacity of 1128.41 mg g(-1) was observed. The adsorption behavior was investigated using the Redlich-Peterson adsorption isotherm, pseudo second-order kinetics, and thermodynamics models. In the adsorption/desorption investigation, the MGMX nanocomposite was reusable for up to five cycles of adsorption/desorption. The stability, hydrophilic nature, available adsorptive surfaces, and easy separation after reaction make the MGMX nanocomposite an efficient sorbent for the removal of toxic Hg(II) for water purification. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.