Graphene-decorated porous ceramics for efficient removal of Cr(vi)

Abstract

Porous ceramics (such as activated alumina (AA)) is a common adsorbent material in water purification. Its purifying capacity can be greatly improved through modification of porous ceramics. In this paper, a facile method has been established to prepare a graphene-decorated porous ceramic (GDPC) material. Citric acid (CA) was absorbed into the inner surface of the porous ceramics and transformed to graphene via sintering. The as-prepared material showed excellent adsorption capacity for chromium (Cr(VI)) over a wide range of pH (2 to 10) compared with the blank sample. The maximum uptake capacity for Cr(VI) exceed 699.43 mg g⁻¹. UV and ICP-OES tests indicated that chromium ions in aqueous solution were completely removed via the GDPC. Thus the GDPC could be a potential adsorbent for the environmental cleanup, especially for the chromium-contained wastewater disposal.