Effects of surfactants on graphene oxide nanoparticles transport in saturated porous media

Transport behaviors of graphene oxide nanoparticles (GONPs) in saturated porous media were examined as a function of the presence and concentration of anionic surfactant (SDBS) and non-ionic surfactant (Triton X-100) under different ionic strength (IS). The results showed that the GONPs were retained obviously in the sand columns at both IS of 50 and 200 mmol/L, and they were more mobile at lower IS. The presence and concentration of surfactants could enhance the GONP transport, particularly as observed at higher IS. It was interesting to see that the GONP transport was surfactant type dependent, and SDBS was more effective to facilitate GONP transport than Triton X-100 in our experimental conditions. The advection–dispersion–retention numerical modeling followed this trend and depicted the difference quantitatively. Derjaguin–Landau–Verwey–Overbeek (DLVO) interaction calculations also were performed to interpret these effects, indicating that secondary minimum deposition was critical in this study.

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