Iron oxide-MXene-based composite for the removal of copper ions from wastewater

The present work primarily aims to evaluate the adsorption properties of MXene and its nanocomposite, Fe₃O₄@MXene, for removing heavy metal ions from industrial wastewater. Two-dimensional (2D) MXene nanosheets were combined with Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles through a hydrothermal synthesis process to create the Fe₃O₄@MXene nanocomposite. Characterization revealed that Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles self-assembled onto MXene sheets, forming a structure that enhanced the 2D structure of MXene, with nanoparticles uniformly distributed throughout the nanosheet network. Performance experiments demonstrated that Fe₃O₄@MXene nanocomposite significantly outperformed pristine MXene in adsorbing heavy metal ions from wastewater. Notably, Fe₃O₄@MXene nanocomposite achieved an 83% removal efficiency for Cu ions, highlighting its potential as a highly efficient adsorbent in industrial wastewater treatment. This work underscores the viability of Fe₃O₄@MXene for heavy metal remediation, marking an important step toward practical environmental applications of MXene-based materials.

Graphical Abstract