Graphene oxide–tripolyphosphate hybrid used as a potent sorbent for cationic dyes

Graphene oxide–tripolyphosphate material (GPM) was synthesized through an ethanolamine (EA) mediated graphene oxide (GO) self-assembly. The synthesis route to GPM is simple and benign. GPM was composed of GO nanosheets as building blocks and the tripolyphosphate as cross-linkers and chelators of cations in solutions. GPM showed higher potency for adsorption of cationic dyes than anionic dyes, and the adsorption process was through electrostatic and π–π interactions. Adsorption was spontaneous and exothermic, and the adsorption capacity of GPM for cationic dyes (>2540 mg g−1) far exceeded those reported in literature for GO materials.