Self-supporting super hydrophilic MgFe2O4 flexible fibers for Pb(II) adsorption

Flexible MgFe2O4 magnetic fibers were originally prepared by four spinning solutions using electrospinning technology together with sol–gel method, and applied to Pb(II) adsorption for the first time. The prepared MgFe2O4 fibers were flexible, super hydrophilic; and could be curled and folded at will. Maximum adsorption capacities of MgFe2O4 fibers prepared from the spinning solutions with CTAB contents of 0%, 4% and 8% for Pb(II) were 263.27, 276.87 and 283.13 mg/g, respectively. Among the MgFe2O4 based adsorbents, the flexible MgFe2O4 fibers prepared in this work exhibited the highest adsorption capacity for Pb(II). This indicated that the flexible fiber adsorbents were self-supporting in aqueous solutions without agglomeration, therefore fully exerting their adsorption active sites; and so, improve their adsorption capacities for pollutants. The saturation magnetizations of MgFe2O4 fibers prepared from 0%, 4% and 8% CTAB content spinning solutions were 6.7, 10.6, and 14.0 emu/g, respectively. After adsorption, the adsorbents could be quickly separated from the aqueous solutions by magnetic separation. Flexible fibers provide a new direction in avoiding agglomeration to maximize the adsorption capacity of the adsorbent.