Polyaniline/oxidation etching graphitic carbon nitride composites for U(VI) removal from aqueous solutions

Polyaniline/oxidation etching g-C3N4 composites (PANI/OCN) were synthesized through an oxidative polymerization method and applied to remove U(VI)from aqueous solution as an adsorbent. The PANI/OCN showed high maximum adsorption capacity (qm = 312.5 mg g−1, T = 293 K, pH = 5), which was higher than OCN and many other adsorbents,and extremely fast adsorption rate (in 10 min). The adsorption process was fitted well to the pseudo-second-order kinetic equation and Langmuir model. Adsorption–desorption experiment revealed the good reusability of PANI/OCN. This study provides a potential composite with excellent performance for U(VI) removal.