Preparation of Exfoliated Graphite Modified with Magnesium Ferrite

Abstract

A magnetic sorbent based on exfoliated graphite modified with magnesium ferrite has been prepared by impregnating oxidized graphite in a mixed solution of FeCl₃ and Mg(NO₃)₂, followed by heat treatment of the impregnated oxidized graphite in air. X-ray diffraction and Mössbauer spectroscopy results demonstrate that the structure of the magnesium ferrite is an inverse spinel with a degree of inversion of 0.59. The saturation magnetization of the magnesium ferrite-containing exfoliated graphite is 16.1 emu/g, whereas its oil sorption capacity is as high as 54 g/g. Compaction of the exfoliated graphite to a density of 0.03 g/cm³ reduced its sorption capacity to 26 g/g. Further increasing the density of the material led to a considerable decrease in its sorption capacity.