One-step fabrication of amino functionalized magnetic graphene oxide composite for uranium(VI) removal

Amino functionalized magnetic graphene oxide composite (AMGO), a good sorbent for U(VI), was fabricated and characterized. The AMGO was applied as a magnetic sorbent for the U(VI) removal from aqueous solutions. The AMGO can be easily recovered from the solution with the magnetic separation within one minute. The kinetic data were well-described by the pseudo-second-order equation. The Langmuir model fitted the sorption isotherm data better than the Freundlich model. The maximum sorption capacity of the AMGO for U(VI) was 141.2mg/g, displaying a high efficiency for the removal of U(VI). It was found that the U(VI) sorption was accomplished mainly via chelation or ion exchange. The thermodynamic parameters illustrated that the sorption process was spontaneous and endothermic in nature. In addition, the excellent reproducibility indicate that the AMGO can be used as a potential sorbent for removal of U(VI) from large volumes of aqueous solution.