Green conductive paper derived from sago pulp of Southeast Sulawesi based on magnetic nanocomposite of Fe3O4/carbon nanofibers for phenol adsorption

Abstract

A green conductive magnetic nanocomposite paper that has been synthesized by decorating carbon nanofibers (CNFs) with Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄/CNFs) and mixed with sago pulp as phenol adsorbents has been investigated. The paper was synthesized using sago pulp waste from the sago farmer’s community. To produce cellulose paper, Sago pulp was treated mechanically and chemically through dehemicellulose and delignification techniques. Fe₃O₄ was synthesized by ultrasonication of iron sand in NaOH solution (8 M) for 120 min at 70 °C. The nanocomposite of Fe₃O₄/CNFs was prepared by ultrasonication Fe₃O₄ and CNFs in water. The nanocomposite paper was finally prepared by mixing sago’s cellulose and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) with ultrasonication, followed by solvent casting drying. The phase crystallinity of the paper was evaluated via X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Fourier Transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The phenol’s sensing and adsorption kinetic properties over the magnetic paper were examined using a UV–Vis spectrophotometer at a maximum wavelength of 269 nm. The result showed that the phenol was efficiently adsorbed on magnetic paper under an optimum pH of 7 at a contact time of 90 min. The adsorption followed Ho-McKay pseudo-second-order kinetics with adsorption capacity at an equilibrium of 3.15 mg/g. The magnetic and conductive paper of Fe₃O₄/CNFs should be extensively used in the adsorption of phenolic compounds in the environment.