One-step synthesis of Ag₂O@Mg(OH)₂ nanocomposite as an efficient scavenger for iodine and uranium

Ag₂O nanoparticles anchored on the Mg(OH)₂ nanoplates (Ag₂O@Mg(OH)₂) were successfully prepared by a facile one-step method, which combined the Mg(OH)₂ formation with Ag₂O deposition. The synthesized products were characterized by a wide range of techniques including powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), and nitrogen physisorption analysis. It was found that Ag₂O nanoparticles anchored on the Mg(OH)₂ nanoplates show good dispersion and less aggregation relative to the single Ag₂O nanoaggregates. In addition, iodide (I^-) removal by the Ag₂O@Mg(OH)₂ nanocomposite was studied systematically. Batch experiments reveal that the nanocomposite exhibits extremely high I^- removal rate (<10min), and I^- removal capacity is barely affected by the concurrent anions, such as Cl^-, SO₄^2-, CO₃^2- and NO₃^-. Furthermore, I^- and UO₂²⁺ could be simultaneously removed by the nanocomposite with high efficiency. Due to the simple synthetic procedure, the excellent removal performances for iodine and uranium, and the easy separation from water, the Ag₂O@Mg(OH)₂ nanocomposite has real potential for application in radioactive wastewater treatment, especially during episodic environmental crisis.