Synthesis of CoFeO@SiO-NH and its application in adsorption of trace lead

In this work, an amine functionalized CoFe 2 O 4 magnetic nanocomposite material CoFe 2 O 4 @SiO 2 -NH 2 was prepared successfully by modifying coated-CoFe 2 O 4 @SiO 2 magnetic nanoparticles with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) and became an efficient adsorbent for the separation and analysis of trace lead in water. The CoFe 2 O 4 @SiO 2 -NH 2 magnetic nanoparticles were characterized using SEM, TEM, XRD, FTIR, VSM and BET techniques. Then, the adsorption mechanism was preliminarily investigated through ZETA, XPS, and adsorption kinetic experiments. The adsorption process was fitted by pseudo-second-order kinetics and a Langmuir isotherm model. The main adsorption mechanism of CoFe 2 O 4 @SiO 2 -NH 2 towards lead ions was the chelation between the amino groups of CoFe 2 O 4 @SiO 2 -NH 2 and lead cations, as well as the strong Coulomb interaction between the electron donor atoms O and N in the surface of CoFe 2 O 4 @SiO 2 -NH 2 and lead cations. The adsorption capacity is 74.5 mg g −1 and the adsorbent can be reused 5 times. Hence, this prepared CoFe 2 O 4 @SiO 2 -NH 2 could find potential applications for the removal of trace metal ions in surface water. In this work, an amine functionalized CoFe 2 O 4 magnetic nanocomposite material was prepared and is shown to be an efficient adsorbent for the separation and analysis of trace lead in water.