Adsorption of graphene oxide/chitosan porous materials for metal ions

Porous graphene oxide/chitosan (PGOC) materials were prepared by a unidirectional freeze-drying method. Their porous structure, mechanical property and adsorption for metal ions were investigated. The results show that the incorporation of graphene oxide (GO) significantly increased the compressive strength of the PGOC materials. The saturated adsorption capacity of Pb2+ increased about 31%, up to 99 mg/g when 5 wt% GO was incorporated These biodegradable, nontoxic, efficient PGOC materials will be a potential adsorbent for metal ions in aqueous solution. (C) 2011 Xiao Dong Wang. Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of Chinese Chemical Society. All rights reserved.