In situ preparation of magnetic Fe3O4.Cu2O.Fe3O4/cryogel nanocomposite powder via a reduction–coprecipitation method as adsorbent for methylene blue water pollutant

Magnetic nanocomposites have attracted great attention as adsorbents for the removal of water pollutants, which respond to an external magnet that is used to remove both pollutants and composite nanomaterial traces from water. They are environmentally friendly and effective adsorbents for water treatment. In this respect, a simple in situ preparation method was used to prepare cryogel powder composite based on Fe₃O₄.Cu₂O.Fe₃O₄ nanomaterials. The ionic cryogel based on 2‐acrylamido‐2‐methylpropane sulfonate sodium salt and styrene sulfonate sodium salt was prepared by crosslinking polymerization at low temperature. The new magnetic nanoparticles based on Fe₃O₄.Cu₂O.Fe₃O₄ were successfully prepared inside the cryogel networks by a simple reduction–coprecipitation method based on reaction of Fe³⁺ with sodium sulfite and Cu²⁺ in the presence of hydroxylamine and ammonia solution. The thermal stability, accurate Fe₃O₄.Cu₂O.Fe₃O₄ content, magnetic properties, crystal lattice structure, particle sizes and morphology of the prepared cryogel composite were evaluated. The optimum conditions such as pH, contact time, adsorbate concentrations, adsorption equilibrium and adsorption kinetics were investigated to determine the efficiency of the prepared composite as an adsorbent to remove toxic methylene blue (MB) pollutant from aqueous solution. The data for MB adsorption confirmed the high ability of the prepared composite to remove more than 4.696 mmol L^?1 of MB from water during 6 min. The regeneration and reuse experiments showed excellent data for the synthesized new dye as an effective adsorbent for water treatment. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry