Preparation of graphene adsorbents and their applications in water purification

Graphene has attracted great interest for its unique structure, fantastic properties, and wide applications. Among the various applications, graphene-based materials hold great potential as adsorbents in decontaminating water because of the large surface area, diverse functionalities, ease of preparation, and low cost of treatment. Graphene and its composites have been used in treating heavy metals, dyes, pesticide, antibiotics, oils, and so on. In this paper, we reviewed the preparation methods of graphene adsorbents and their applications in water purification. The adsorption behaviors of contaminates on graphene are summarized. The interactions between graphene and contaminates are discussed, emphasizing the influence of functional groups. We also propose some guidelines in designing high-performance graphene adsorbents from the physicochemical perspective.