Controllable Fabrication of Mesoporous MgO with Various Morphologies and Their Absorption Performance for Toxic Pollutants in Water

• Published in: Crystal growth & design Vol. 8; no. 10; pp. 3785 - 3790
• Main Authors: Gao, Cuiling, Zhang, Wenli, Li, Hongbian, Lang, Leiming, Xu, Zheng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington,DC American Chemical Society 01.10.2008
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Exact sciences and technology; General purification processes; Inorganic compounds; Materials science; Other materials; Physics; Pollution; Specific materials; Structure of solids and liquids; crystallography; Structure of specific crystalline solids; Wastewaters; Water treatment and pollution; Cubic lattices; Water treatment; Phase composition; Pollution control; Porous materials; Magnesium oxide; Organometallic compounds; Magnesium carbonate; Monoclinic lattices; Mesoporosity; Microspheres; Hexagonal lattices; Morphology; Surface area; Waste water purification; Nanostructured materials; Hydrates; Crystal structure
• ISSN: 1528-7483; 1528-7505
• DOI: 10.1021/cg8004147

We have developed a method of controllable synthesis of MgO with various morphologies by adjusting the composition and phase structure of magnesium carbonate hydrate (MCH). The phase structure of the MCH varied from monoclinic Mg5(CO3)4(OH)2(H2O)4 to hexagonal MgCO3 by changing the concentration of Mg2+ and HCO3 −; the corresponding morphology of the MCH ranges from nanoflakes and flowerlike microspheres composed of nanoflakes to layer-like rhombohedra and microspheres composed of rhombohedra. After annealing, four kinds of mesoporous cubic MgO micronano structures were obtained with their original morphologies. Because of the high specific surface area, MgO mesoporous nanoflakes and flowerlike microsphers exhibited excellent absorption performance for common toxic heavy metal ions and organic pollutants and are expected to be a potential absorbent in wastewater treatment.