Preparation of Molybdenum Disulfide Coated Mg/Al Layered Double Hydroxide Composites for Efficient Removal of Chromium(VI)

With the rapid development of industry, heavy metal pollution has become a potential hazard to public health and the ecological system. Herein, molybdenum disulfide coated Mg/Al layered double hydroxide composites (LDHs@MoS2) were prepared via a simple hydrothermal method and applied for the adsorption of Cr(VI) from a water solution. The removal capacity of Cr(VI) on LDHs@MoS2 reached 76.3 mg/g at pH = 5.0, and the removal process relied on ionic strength and pH. The results confirmed that the uptake of Cr(VI) on LDHs@MoS2 followed a spontaneous endothermic process. In contrast to the LDHs, LDHs@MoS2 showed excellent chemical stability, which was beneficial for practical applications. Specifically, the coexisting ions had little influence on the uptake of Cr(VI). The interaction of Cr(VI) with the LDHs@MoS2 composites was mainly controlled by electrostatic attraction and outer-sphere surface complexation. The findings can provide new insights into the uptake of heavy metal ions in a natural aquatic environment pollution cleanup.