Composite nanofloral clusters of carbon nanotubes and activated alumina: An efficient sorbent for heavy metal removal

Abstract Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were grown over Fe- and Ni-doped activated alumina (AA) by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and washed with acid to produce nanofloral clusters (NCs). The produced NCs were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDAX), Brunauer, Emmett, and Teller (BET) surface area analyzer, Raman and Fourier Transform Infra Red (FTIR) spectroscopy. Batch mode experiments were used to study the effect of various operating conditions such as pH and contact time on the adsorbent capacity for Cr(VI) and Cd(II). It was found that maximum adsorption of Cr(VI) took place at pH 2 and for Cd(II) in the pH range of 7–9. The measurements of the sorption capacity of NC revealed that it had the saturation capacity of 264.5 and 229.9 mg g −1 for both Cr(VI) and Cd(II) respectively. Sorption data were fitted by both Langmuir and Freundlich models. Thermodynamic parameters such as Δ S , Δ H and Δ G indicated the suitability of NC for the removal of Cr(VI) and Cd(II). The results indicate that NC is a promising candidate for the treatment of heavy metals from waste water industrial effluents.

[1]  Xiangke Wang,et al.  Removal of chromium from aqueous solution by using oxidized multiwalled carbon nanotubes. , 2009, Journal of Hazardous Materials.

[2]  F. Kang,et al.  Growth of carbon nanotubes on low-cost bamboo charcoal for Pb(II) removal from aqueous solution , 2012 .

[3]  S. Sen Gupta,et al.  Kinetics of adsorption of metal ions on inorganic materials: A review. , 2011, Advances in colloid and interface science.

[4]  Toraj Mohammadi,et al.  Adsorption of divalent heavy metal ions from water using carbon nanotube sheets. , 2011, Journal of hazardous materials.

[5]  Ji Liang,et al.  Adsorption of fluoride from water by amorphous alumina supported on carbon nanotubes , 2001 .

[6]  B. K. Mishra,et al.  Application of dolochar in the removal of cadmium and hexavalent chromium ions from aqueous solutions. , 2011, Journal of hazardous materials.

[7]  A. Cirelli,et al.  Cr(VI) and Cr(III) removal from aqueous solution by raw and modified lignocellulosic materials: a review. , 2010, Journal of hazardous materials.

[8]  Cailu Xu,et al.  Adsorption of fluoride from water by aligned carbon nanotubes , 2003 .

[9]  P. Perrot,et al.  A To Z Of Thermodynamics , 1998 .

[10]  W. E. Billups,et al.  Functionalization of carbon nanotubes by free radicals. , 2003, Organic letters.

[11]  Bingqing Wei,et al.  Competitive adsorption of Pb2+, Cu2+ and Cd2+ ions from aqueous solutions by multiwalled carbon nanotubes , 2003 .

[12]  Y. Mortazavi,et al.  A novel continuous process for synthesis of carbon nanotubes using iron floating catalyst and MgO particles for CVD of methane in a fluidized bed reactor , 2010 .

[13]  M. Heravi,et al.  Preparation and application of poly(2-amino thiophenol)/MWCNTs nanocomposite for adsorption and separation of cadmium and lead ions via solid phase extraction. , 2012, Journal of hazardous materials.

[14]  K. An,et al.  Narrow diameter distribution of singlewalled carbon nanotubes grown on Ni–MgO by thermal chemical vapor deposition , 2003 .

[15]  A. Mukherjee,et al.  Single-wall carbon nanotubes as attractive toughening agents in alumina-based nanocomposites , 2003, Nature materials.

[16]  Y. Ho.  Review of second-order models for adsorption systems. , 2006, Journal of hazardous materials.

[17]  Rossella Giorgi,et al.  CNT growth on alumina supported nickel catalyst by thermal CVD , 2005 .

[18]  R. C. Bindal,et al.  Self-standing geometry of aligned carbon nanotubes with high surface area , 2008 .

[19]  Joselito M. Razal,et al.  Super-tough carbon-nanotube fibres , 2003, Nature.

[20]  T. Xu,et al.  Synthesis of boron nanorods by smelting non-toxic boron oxide in liquid lithium , 2010 .

[21]  W. Han,et al.  Removal of Cd(II) by Nanometer AlO(OH) Loaded on Fiberglass with Activated Carbon Fiber Felt as Carrier , 2008 .

[22]  M. J. Kim,et al.  Synthesis of narrow-diameter carbon nanotubes from acetylene decomposition over an iron–nickel catalyst supported on alumina , 2002 .

[23]  I. Kinloch,et al.  Synthesis and characterisation of silica–carbon nanotube hybrid microparticles and their effect on the electrical properties of poly(vinyl alcohol) composites , 2013 .

[24]  N. Bishnoi,et al.  Adsorption of Cr(VI) on activated rice husk carbon and activated alumina. , 2004, Bioresource technology.

[25]  E. Salahi,et al.  Removal of divalent nickel cations from aqueous solution by multi-walled carbon nano tubes: equilibrium and kinetic processes , 2012, Research on Chemical Intermediates.

[26]  Jianfeng Zheng,et al.  Activated carbon catalyzing the formation of carbon nanotubes , 2010 .

[27]  Chungsying Lu,et al.  Sorption of divalent metal ions from aqueous solution by carbon nanotubes: A review , 2007 .

[28]  R. Sanghi,et al.  Removal of hexavalent chromium using a novel cross linked xanthated chitosan. , 2006, Bioresource technology.

[29]  Bingqing Wei,et al.  Miniaturized gas ionization sensors using carbon nanotubes , 2003, Nature.

[30]  Can Cao,et al.  Methods of using carbon nanotubes as filter media to remove aqueous heavy metals , 2012 .

[31]  M. Al‐harthi,et al.  Removal of Chromium (III) from water by using modified and nonmodified carbon nanotubes , 2010 .

[32]  Suman Mor,et al.  Adsorption of chromium from aqueous solution by activated alumina and activated charcoal. , 2007, Bioresource technology.

[33]  D. Sangeetha,et al.  An Efficient Catalyst for the Large Scale Production of Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes , 2011 .

[34]  M. Bystrzejewski,et al.  Comparative study of heavy metal ions sorption onto activated carbon, carbon nanotubes, and carbon-encapsulated magnetic nanoparticles , 2010 .

[35]  V. Datsyuk,et al.  CHEMICAL OXIDATION OF MULTI-WALLED CARBON NANOTUBES , 2008 .

[36]  Cailu Xu,et al.  Adsorption of cadmium(II) from aqueous solution by surface oxidized carbon nanotubes , 2003 .

[37]  Ashutosh Sharma,et al.  Adsorbents based on carbon microfibers and carbon nanofibers for the removal of phenol and lead from water. , 2011, Journal of colloid and interface science.

[38]  M. Behbahani,et al.  Application of multiwalled carbon nanotubes modified by diphenylcarbazide for selective solid phase extraction of ultra traces Cd(II) in water samples and food products. , 2013, Food chemistry.

[39]  M. Atieh,et al.  Effect of Carboxylic Functional Group Functionalized on Carbon Nanotubes Surface on the Removal of Lead from Water , 2011, Bioinorganic chemistry and applications.

[40]  M. Atieh.  Removal of Chromium (VI) from polluted water using carbon nanotubes supported with activated carbon , 2011 .

[41]  R. Brydson,et al.  An investigation of commercial gamma-Al2O3 nanoparticles , 2010 .

[42]  L. Kubota,et al.  Solid-phase extraction system for Pb (II) ions enrichment based on multiwall carbon nanotubes coupled on-line to flame atomic absorption spectrometry. , 2007, Talanta.

[43]  A. Datye,et al.  Thermal properties of CNT-Alumina nanocomposites , 2008 .

[44]  John Parthenios,et al.  Chemical oxidation of multiwalled carbon nanotubes , 2008 .

[45]  Tonni Agustiono Kurniawan,et al.  Nanoadsorbents for Remediation of Aquatic Environment: Local and Practical Solutions for Global Water Pollution Problems , 2012 .

[46]  Y. Gogotsi,et al.  Monitoring oxidation of multiwalled carbon nanotubes by Raman spectroscopy , 2007 .

[47]  Yanzhi Xia,et al.  Removal of copper from aqueous solution by carbon nanotube/calcium alginate composites. , 2010, Journal of hazardous materials.

[48]  W. Weber,et al.  Kinetics of Adsorption on Carbon from Solution , 1963 .

[49]  B. Weckhuysen,et al.  Surface Chemistry and Spectroscopy of Chromium in Inorganic Oxides. , 1996, Chemical reviews.

[50]  Yuhan Sun,et al.  Alumina nanofibers grafted with functional groups: a new design in efficient sorbents for removal of toxic contaminants from water. , 2010, Water research.

[51]  Mirjana Ristić,et al.  Removal of cadmium from aqueous solutions by oxidized and ethylenediamine-functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes , 2010 .

[52]  Milo S. P. Shaffer,et al.  Development of a dispersion process for carbon nanotubes in an epoxy matrix and the resulting electrical properties , 1999 .

[53]  Jinsong Shi,et al.  A fast and facile synthesis of mesoporous nickel oxide , 2013 .

[54]  Jun Wang,et al.  Synthesis and characterization of magnetic Fe/CNTs composites with controllable Fe nanoparticle concentration , 2012 .

[55]  O. Moradi.  The Removal of Ions by Functionalized Carbon Nanotube: Equilibrium, Isotherms and Thermodynamic Studies , 2011 .