Oxygen-Content-Controllable Graphene Oxide from Electron-Beam-Irradiated Graphite: Synthesis, Characterization, and Removal of Aqueous Lead [Pb(II)]

A high-energy electron beam was applied to irradiate graphite for the preparation of graphene oxide (GO) with a controllable oxygen content. The obtained GO sheets were analyzed with various characterization tools. The results revealed that the oxygen-containing groups of GO increased with increasing irradiation dosages. Hence, oxygen-content-controllable synthesis of GO can be realized by changing the irradiation dosages. The GO sheets with different irradiation dosages were then used to adsorb aqueous Pb­(II). The effects of contact time, pH, initial lead ion concentration, and ionic strength on Pb­(II) sorption onto different GO sheets were examined. The sorption process was found to be very fast (completed within 20 min) at pH 5.0. Except ionic strength, which showed no/little effect on lead sorption, the other factors affected the sorption of aqueous Pb­(II) onto GO. The maximum Pb­(II) sorption capacities of GO increased with irradiation dosages, confirming that electron-beam irradiation was an effective way to increase the oxygen content of GO. These results suggested that irradiated GO with a controllable oxygen content is a promising nanomaterial for environmental cleanup, particularly for the treatment of cationic metal ions, such as Pb­(II)