Magnetically active nanocomposite aerogels: preparation, characterization and application for water treatment

Magnetically active nanocomposite aerogels were prepared, characterized and used for water treatment. These materials were characterized by SEM, TEM, XRD, FT-IR and BET methods. These materials have ferromagnetic properties, facilitating the collection and removal of spent sorbent from the purified system for subsequent regeneration. The paper investigated the effect of the iron contents in the synthesized materials on their structural and functional properties. The samples with iron content ~ 10%, 22% and 35% were obtained. The specific surface area of the sample with an iron content of 22% was 670 m²/g; maximal in comparison with the rest of the aerogels. The sorption capacity of the aerogels was 1501 and 1390 mg/g within 10 min for methyl blue and methyl orange dyes, respectively; confirming very fast removal capacities. Thus, aerogels with a high specific surface area, ferromagnetic properties and high sorption characteristics were produced for the removal of dyes in water.