Sulfonated Graphene for Persistent Aromatic Pollutant Management

A kind of sulfonated graphene (around 3 nm thick) with high dispersion properties has been synthesized. It is demonstrated to adsorb persistent organic aromatic pollutants effectively from aqueous solutions. The adsorption capability of the prepared sulfonated graphene nanomaterials approaches ∼2.3–2.4 mmol g−1 for naphthalene and 1-naphthol, which is one of the highest capabilities of today's nanomaterials. This highly effective adsorbent may be a promising candidate to remove aromatic chemicals from large volumes of aqueous solutions. It opens a new door for cost effective environmental pollution management with graphene in the near future. Detailed facts of importance to specialist readers are published as ”Supporting Information”. Such documents are peer-reviewed, but not copy-edited or typeset. They are made available as submitted by the authors. Please note: The publisher is not responsible for the content or functionality of any supporting information supplied by the authors. Any queries (other than missing content) should be directed to the corresponding author for the article.