Synthesis of NiFe2O4/sawdust nanocomposite for oil-water separation

Subject Areas : Journal of Nanoanalysis

Azita Seyed Shariatdoost ¹ , Mohammad Yousefi ² , Pirouz Derakhshi ³ , Aliakbar Safekordi ⁴ , Kambiz Larijani ⁵

1 - Department of chemistry, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
2 - Department of Chemistry, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
3 - Department of chemistry, North Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
4 - Department of chemistry, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
5 - Department of chemistry, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

Received: 2017-04-22 Accepted : 2017-11-22 Published : 2018-03-01

Keywords: Reusability, Magnetic nanocomposite, Sawdust adsorbent, Oil removal,

Abstract :

organic solvents. In this study, NiFe2O4/sawdust nanocomposite was synthesized for removingoil pollutants. The oil-adsorbing nanocomposite could be easily separated from water bymagnet bar. The XRD results show tetragonal phase proving the composite formation. TheFESEM pictures successfully reveal the growth of NiFe2O4 on the sawdust template. The FTIRbands at 422 cm-1 and 615 cm-1correspond to the metal oxygen stretching band. VSM hysteresisloop proves the superparamagnetism of the composite. In addition contact angle depictshydrophobic properties of the resulted nanocomposite. More importantly, as-preparednanocomposite exhibited high oil adsorption capacity and good reusability. Our studies showeasy synthesis and fast method for oil removal from water. Facile synthesis procedure, highoil adsorption capacity, fast and simple magnetic separation and reusability of nanoadsorbentare among the benefits of these composite. This approach will open up new fields of studiesin polluted-water treatment.