Synthesis and properties of zeolite/hydrated iron oxide composite from coal fly ash as efficient adsorbent to simultaneously retain cationic and anionic pollutants from water
Abstract A novel zeolite/Fe 2 O 3 composite material, which was composed of synthetic zeolite and amorphous hydrated iron oxide, was produced by using coal fly ash as raw material. The obtained new material was shown to be unique to simultaneously retain cationic and anionic pollutants from water. Though synthetic zeolite showed a great increase in specific surface area, cation exchange capacity and phosphate immobilization capacity when compared with coal fly ash, synthesis of the composite material resulted in further great enhancement. The specific surface area, cation exchange capacity and phosphate immobilization capacity of the composite material reached 161.5 m 2 /g, 154.3 cmol/kg and 18.2 mg/g, respectively. For synthetic zeolite and coal fly ash, they are 28.7 and 1.1 m 2 /g, 137.6 and