Nanostructured biopolymer proposes an efficient environmental clean-up. The deliberate introduction of graphene oxide and in situ generated magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles into the functionalized biopolymer helps to form a structurally stable magnetic nanostructured material. Amit Kumar Sarkar and Yeoung-Sang Yun and their colleagues from Chonbuk National University, South Korea have shown that the material adsorbs methylene blue with a high adsorption capacity (2,478 milligram per gram) at a fast removal rate. The synergistic development of the material through functionalization and cross-linking leads to the generation of well-dispersed high-density active adsorption sites with enormous microchannels in the nanocomposite, which are responsible for the efficient pollutant uptake. The researchers pointed out that graphene oxide plays a vital role in the structural stability of the material and the generation of well-dispersed active binding sites is more important than the porosity or surface area of the material.
- Amit Kumar Sarkar
- John Kwame Bediako
- Yeoung-Sang Yun
