Two-dimensional (2-D) titanium carbide MXene core (Ti 3 C 2 T x ) shell aerogel spheres (MX-SA) for mercuric ion removal were designed and fabricated with varying concentrations of Ti 3 C 2 T x MXene and sodium alginate (SA) using a facile method. Owing to their unique inside structures, high porosities, large specific surface areas, oxygenated functional groups of MXene nanosheets, and available active binding sites, the synthesized microspheres constitute a unique adsorbent for heavy metals removal in water. The MX-SA 4:20 spheres exhibit an exceptional adsorption capacity of 932.84 mg/g for Hg 2+ , which is among the highest value reported for adsorbents. The adsorbent exhibits high single-and multi-component removal efficiencies, with 100% efficiency for Hg 2+ and > 90% efficiency for five heavy metal ions. The synthesized materials are highly efficient for Hg 2+ removal under extreme pH conditions (0.5-1.0 M HNO 3 ) and have additional excellent reproducible properties. The micro-size and spherical shape of MX-SA 4:20 also allow it to be used in column-packed devices.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.