Single-step synthesis of activated carbon/γ-Fe2O3 nano-composite at room temperature

• Published in: Materials science in semiconductor processing 2013-02, Vol.16 (1), p.221-225
• Main Authors: Darezereshki, Esmaeel, Bakhtiari, Fereshteh, Vakylabad, Ali Behrad, Hassani, Zahra
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Activated carbon; Applied sciences; Carbon materials; Composite materials; Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Domain effects, magnetization curves, and hysteresis; Electrical engineering. Electrical power engineering; Exact sciences and technology; Magnetic materials; Magnetic properties; Magnetic properties and materials; Magnetization curves, magnetization reversal, hysteresis, barkhausen and related effects; Materials; Materials science; Nanocomposites; Nanomaterials; Nanopowders; Nanoscale materials and structures: fabrication and characterization; Nanostructure; Physics; Scanning electron microscopy; Semiconductors; Solid surfaces and solid-solid interfaces; Surface structure and topography; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties); Synthesis; Transmission electron microscopy; Wet chemical method
• ISSN: 1369-8001; 1873-4081
• DOI: 10.1016/j.mssp.2012.08.007

Magnetically activated carbon (MAC) nano-composite was synthesized by a simple single-step wet chemical method at room temperature. The structure, surface area, morphology and magnetic properties of as-prepared composite were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunaure–Emmet–Teller analysis (BET), Fourier transform infrared spectrum, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and vibrating sample magnetometry. SEM and TEM analysis indicated that the spherical maghemite (γ-Fe2O3) nanoparticles of average particle size 22±2nm were homogeneously dispersed onto Treated Activated Carbon (TAC). Also, using Scherrer's formula, the average crystallite maghemite nano-particles on the TAC were estimated to be about 19nm. According to BET analysis, the MAC was of 356m2/g surface area and 0.36cm3/g pore volume. The MAC nano-composite exhibited a nearly superparamagnetic property with a saturation magnetization (Ms) of 3.15Am2/kg. It is suggested that this method could be a more efficient and practical way to produce magnetically modified activated carbon for use as a magnetic adsorbent to remove contaminants.