Adsorptive kinetic mechanism of heavy metal cations on the surface of graphite oxide and its SiO2 composite

Nanomaterials have gained great attention because of their novel size- and shape-dependent properties, large specific surface area and high reaction activity. Moreover, nanomaterials have a wide range of applications, as in the technological and environmental challenges in the areas of solar energy conversion, catalysis, medicine, and water treatments. In the present study, nanostructured graphite oxide, silica/graphite oxide composites and silica nanoparticles were used for the removal of the heavy metal ions from aqueous solutions by a batch adsorption method and the adsorptive kinetic mechanism of heavy metal cations on the surface of graphite oxide and its SiO2 composite was evaluated. The experimental results revealed a strong adsorption of the metal cations on the surface of graphite oxide, this is reflected in the shifts in wave numbers after adsorption with nanostructured graphite oxide and the big shift in wave numbers (Δv) for nickel ions reflects chemosorption type of adsorption. This is confi...