Exclusion of heavy cations from wastewater using activated carbon/NiFe2O4 nanocomposite prepared via co-precipitation method

Abstract

First, crystalline NiFe2O4 powder was synthesized on a nanoscale dimension by a simple one-step coprecipitation<br />chemical route, and then used to produce activated carbon/NiFe2O4 nanocomposite. The<br />structure and morphology of the as-prepared composite was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD)<br />pattern, transmission electron microscope (TEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy.<br />Eventually, the as-prepared composite was used for exclusion of heavy cations from wastewater in<br />different conditions. A significant absorption capacity (250 mg g-1) showed that this nanocomposite could<br />be useful for the removal of heavy cations from wastewater.