Wet oxidation of ordered mesoporous carbon FDU-15 by using (NH4)2S2O8 for fast adsorption of Sr(II): An investigation on surface chemistry and adsorption mechanism

Surface modification of ordered mesoporous carbon (OMC) by wet oxidation provides an oxygen-enriched platform for complexation of metal ions. Here, we present a comprehensive study on the surface chemistry and textual property of OMC FDU-15 modified by wet oxidation using (NH4)2S2O8 as a benign oxidant. And, for the first time, the adsorption behavior and mechanism of wet-oxidized OMC FDU-15 toward Sr(II) in aqueous solutions were investigated. The mesostructural regularity of the OMC FDU-15 was well-reserved under wet oxidation. Compared to OMC CMK-type counterparts prepared via nanocasting, the OMC FDU-15 by soft template method showed much-enhanced structural stability. Due to the introduction of abundant oxygen-containing species, the oxidized OMC FDU-15 exhibited excellent hydrophilicity and dispersibility in aqueous solutions. The adsorption behavior toward Sr(II) was fully investigated, showing a super-fast adsorption kinetics (< 5 min to reach equilibrium) and a Langmuir adsorption isotherm. Moreover, an in-depth X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis through deconvolution of high resolution C1s and O1s spectra was implemented to identify the chemical species of the surface functional groups, while probing the adsorption mechanism. The results suggested that oxygen donor atoms in CO single bonds mainly contribute to the adsorption of Sr(II) via formation of metal-ligand complexation.