A Facile Synthesis of RGO-Ag₂MoO₄ Nanocomposites for Efficient Lead Removal from Aqueous Solution

Efficiently treating wastewater, particularly the elimination of heavy metal ions from water systems, continues to be one of the most pressing and complex challenges in modern environmental management. In this work, reduced graphene oxide coupled silver molybdate binary nanocomposites (RGO-Ag₂MoO₄ NCs) have been prepared via hydrothermal method. The crystalline nature and surface properties of the developed RGO-Ag₂MoO₄ NCs were proved by XRD, FTIR, SEM, and EDS techniques. Adsorption experiments demonstrated that the nanocomposites (NCs) effectively removed Pb(II) ions within 120 min, achieving a maximum removal efficiency ranging from 94.96% to 86.37% for Pb(II) concentrations between 20 and 100 mg/L at pH 6. Kinetic studies showed that the adsorption process followed a pseudo-second order model. Isotherm analysis presented that the Langmuir model provided the greatest fit for the equilibrium data, with a monolayer adsorption capacity of 128.94 mg/g. Thermodynamic analysis revealed that the adsorption process was spontaneous and endothermic. The results of this study highlight RGO-Ag₂MoO₄ NCs as a highly promising and eco-friendly material for the effective elimination of Pb(II) ions from wastewater. Their strong adsorption capacity, coupled with sustainable properties, makes them an efficient solution for addressing lead contamination, offering significant potential for practical applications in water treatment systems.