Exclusion of heavy cations from wastewater using activated carbon/NiFe2O4 nanocomposite prepared via co-precipitation method

First, crystalline NiFe2O4 powder was synthesized on a nanoscale dimension by a simple one-step coprecipitationchemical route, and then used to produce activated carbon/NiFe2O4 nanocomposite. Thestructure and morphology of the as-prepared composite was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD)pattern, transmission electron microscope (TEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy.Eventually, the as-prepared composite was used for exclusion of heavy cations from wastewater indifferent conditions. A significant absorption capacity (250 mg g-1) showed that this nanocomposite couldbe useful for the removal of heavy cations from wastewater.