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Carbothermal Synthesis of Aerosol-Based Iron-Carbon Nanocomposites for Adsorption and Reduction of Cr(VI)

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Nanoscale Zerovalent Iron Particles for Environmental Restoration

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Abstract

Spherical iron-carbon nanocomposites were synthesized through a facile aerosol-based process and a subsequent carbothermal reduction. Carbothermal treatment reduces iron species to zero-valent iron rather than using expensive sodium borohydride. In addition, the high porosity of iron-carbon composites allows the entry of contaminants to reactive sites. These composites with nanoscale zero-valent iron particles incorporated in the carbon matrix exhibit synergistic adsorption and reaction for more efficient removal of Cr(VI) in water. Under identical experimental conditions, aerosol-assisted iron-carbon composites showed the highest removal efficiency compared to other materials including nanoscale zero-valent iron particles, aerosol-assisted carbon, and their physical mixture. Meanwhile, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis proved as-prepared iron-carbon composites could effectively transform Cr(VI) to much less toxic Cr(III). These iron-carbon composites can be designed at low cost, the process is amenable to scale-up for in situ application, and the materials are intrinsically benign to the environment.

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Acknowledgements

We wish to thank Dr. Yanqiang Huang at Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics for his assistance with the XPS analysis. Funding from the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities is gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Food and Environment, Dalian University of Technology, Panjin, People’s Republic of China

    Jiawei He, Ling Ai, Yiyan Wang, Yuan Long, Chaoliang Wei & Jingjing Zhan

Authors
  1. Jiawei He
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  2. Ling Ai
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  3. Yiyan Wang
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  4. Yuan Long
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  5. Chaoliang Wei
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  6. Jingjing Zhan
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Correspondence to Jingjing Zhan .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering Program, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand

    Tanapon Phenrat

  2. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Canrnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Gregory V. Lowry

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He, J., Ai, L., Wang, Y., Long, Y., Wei, C., Zhan, J. (2019). Carbothermal Synthesis of Aerosol-Based Iron-Carbon Nanocomposites for Adsorption and Reduction of Cr(VI). In: Phenrat, T., Lowry, G. (eds) Nanoscale Zerovalent Iron Particles for Environmental Restoration. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-95340-3_14

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