Improving of the Mg-Co nanoferrites efficiency for crude oil adsorption from aqueous solution by blending them with chitosan hydrogel

The efficiency of the as-prepared Mg₀.₂₅Co₀.₇₅Fe₂O₄ spinel nanoparticles for adsorption of crude oil from aqueous solution was improved by blending them with chitosan hydrogel (CH) prepared using epichlorohydrin as cross-linker resulting (CH/Mg₀.₂₅Co₀.₇₅Fe₂O₄) nanocomposites. Mg₀.₂₅Co₀.₇₅Fe₂O₄ nanocrystals was prepared by the chemical co-precipitation method and characterized by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), and differential thermal analysis (DTA)/thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). DTA/TGA results showed that the net weight loss of the samples heated from room temperature up to 1000 °C lies in the range 2.2–26.5% weight, where the maximum weight loss appeared at 100 °C and 614 °C. The blending nanocomposites prepared, were characterized by FT-IR and SEM micrographs. The effect of the nanoparticles ratio on the water uptake of nanocomposites and their capability to adsorb the crude oil was estimated by the gravimetric method. TEM results showed that the average nanoparticle size (Z) of Mg₀.₂₅Co₀.₇₅Fe₂O₄ is 30.06 nm and the SEM illustrated the presence of a very clear and rough layer of pores which are homogenously arranged structures that could play an important role in the adsorption and stability of crude oil on polymers. The adsorption ability of crude oil from waste water on the CH/Mg₀.₂₅Co₀.₇₅Fe₂O₄ nanocomposites hydrogel was reported and it was found that the CH/Mg₀.₂₅Co₀.₇₅Fe₂O₄ with 95/5% ratio showed the improvement in the oil adsorption (72.5%) than the 0/100% one (50.2%). As a consequence, it is highly suggested that the potential of blending CH with Mg₀.₂₅Co₀.₇₅Fe₂O₄ to obtain CH/Mg₀.₂₅Co₀.75Fe2O₄ for enhancing crude oil adsorption in oily waste water treatment with a low cost.