Poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) grafted graphene oxide for cadmium removal from water with interaction mechanisms

This study investigated the capacity of a synthesized graphene oxide grafted with poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (GPHM) to adsorb cadmium ions from a spiked aqueous solution. Before conducting the adsorption treatment experiments, different techniques were used to characterize the structure and morphology of the prepared material. The results showed that the graphene oxide was successfully functionalized with PHM with a BET surface area of 198 m²/g. The results of the optimization of treatment parameters in adsorption experiments revealed that the material has a high sorption capacity. The experimentally obtained data fit well with the pseudo-second-order kinetic equation. Isotherm studies indicated that the experimental data fit well to the equation of the Temkin model. The results of the thermodynamic study reveal the endothermic nature of the adsorption of cadmiom ions on the prerared material. The possible mechanisms of interactions between cadmium ions and the adsorbent were proposed.