LAUSR

Abstract In this study, ultraviolet (UV)-induced graft technology is improved to be successfully applied on inorganic substrate for fabricating a novel poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) brushes-decorated magnetic nano-composite particles (g-MNPs) as a potential adsorbent toward Cu2+ ion. The most fascinating features of the resultant g-MNPs are the abundant and highly accessible carboxyl groups present in PAA brushes and the rapid separation from the medium by magnetic field after adsorption. Through the new and high-efficiency surface-initiated polymerization route, the densely PAA brushes was successfully immobilized on the MNPs surface with a high grafting yield of 88.3%. Excitingly, the g-MNPs exhibited an exceptional performance for Cu2+ adsorption, e.g., ultrahigh adsorption capacity (up to 152.1 mg g−1), rapid adsorption rate (within 30 min) and low residual concentration (below 1.3 ppm). Full kinetic and isotherm analysis as well as thermodynamic study were also undertaken, the results showed that Cu2+ adsorption followed Langmuir isotherm and the pseudo-second-order kinetic model, the adsorption rate was controlled by two sequential periods of external and intraparticle diffusion. According to the calculated value of thermodynamic parameters, the Cu2+ adsorption onto g-MNPs was a spontaneous endothermic process. Furthermore, the excellent reusability of the resultant adsorbent was also confirmed, which can keep above 95% adsorption capacity and desorption rate in 8 consecutive cycles.