synthesis of highly effective novel graphene oxide-polyethylene glycol-polyvinyl alcohol nanocomposite hydrogel for copper removal

A novel graphene oxide-polyethylene glycol and polyvinyl alcohol (go-peg-pva) triple network hydrogel were prepared to remove copper(ii) ion from its aqueous solution. the structures, morphologies, and properties of graphene oxide (go), the composite go-peg-pva and peg-pva were characterized using ftir, x-ray diffraction, scanning electronic microscope and thermal gravimetric analysis. a series of systematic batch adsorption experiments were conducted to study the adsorption property of go, go-peg-pva hydrogel and peg-pva hydrogel under different conditions (e.g. ph, contact time and cu^2+ ions concentration). the high adsorption capacity, easy regeneration, and effective adsorption–desorption results proved that the prepared go-peg-pva composite hydrogel could be an effective adsorbent in removing cu^2+ ion from its aqueous solution. the maximum adsorption capacities were found to be 917, 900 and 423 mg g^–1 for go-peg-pva hydrogel, go and peg-pva hydrogel, respectively at ph 5, 25 °c and cu^2+ ions’ concentration 500 mg l^–1. the removal efficiency of the recycled go-peg-pva hydrogel were 83, 81, 80 and 79% for the first four times, which proved efficient reusability.