Synthesis and characterization of Fe3O4-Activated Carbon and it’s application to adsorb methylene blue

Abstract

Synthesis and characterization of Fe₃O₄-Activated Carbon (Fe₃O₄-AC) and the application to adsorb methylene blue has been conducted. The Fe₃O₄-AC was synthesized using the co-precipitation method on alkaline conditions. The Fe₃O₄ was prepared from mixing mole ratio of Fe³⁺ and Fe²⁺ = 3:2, and AC was made from an egg rack. Composite of Fe₃O₄-AC was characterized using Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), and Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM). FTIR characterization was indicated the appearance peak of a C-O vibration at 1033.85 cm⁻¹ and a functional group of Fe-O at 540.07 cm⁻¹. XRD pattern of Fe₃O₄-AC was the presence peak of crystal structure Fe₃O₄, even though it’s small intensity. SEM image of Fe₃O₄-AC was spherical with the denser pore of structure. The saturation magnetization of Fe₃O₄-AC was lower than Fe₃O₄. The result showed that adsorption of methylene blue on Fe₃O₄-AC and AC was optimum at pH 7. The sorption of methylene blue on Fe₃O₄-AC and AC was 126.043 and 102.82 mg/g, respectively. The performance of Fe₃O₄-AC was greater than that of AC.