Removal of Pb(II) from aqueous solution by oxidized multiwalled carbon nanotubes

Oxidized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were employed as sorbent to study the sorption characteristic of Pb(II) from aqueous solution as a function of contact time, pH, ionic strength, foreign ions, and oxidized MWCNTs' contents under ambient conditions using batch technique. The results indicate that sorption of Pb(II) on oxidized MWCNTs is strongly dependent on pH values, and independent of ionic strength and the type of foreign ions. The removal of Pb(II) to oxidized MWCNTs is rather quickly and the kinetic sorption can be described by a pseudo-second-order model very well. Sorption of Pb(II) is mainly dominated by surface complexation rather than ion exchange. The efficient removal of Pb(II) from aqueous solution is limited at pH 7-10. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) is performed to study the sorption mechanism at a molecular level and thereby to identify the species of the sorption processes. The 3-D relationship of pH, Ceq and q indicates that all the data of Ceq-q lie in a straight line with slope -V/m and intercept C0V/m for the same initial concentration of Pb(II) and same content of oxidized MWCNTs of each experimental data.     

Synthesis of Ru/multiwalled carbon nanotubes by microemulsion for electrochemical supercapacitor

An efficient way to decorate multiwalled carbon nanotubes with Ru had been developed. In this method, Ru nanoparticles were prepared by water-in-oil reverse microemulsion, and the produced Ru anchored on MWCNTs. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) result showed that RuO₂ nanoparticles had the uniform size distribution after electrochemical oxidation. Energy dispersive X-rays (EDX) spectra elucidated the presence of ruthenium oxide in the as-prepared composites after electrochemical oxidation. Cyclic voltammetry result demonstrated that a specific capacitance of deposited ruthenium oxide electrode was significantly greater than that of the pristine MWCNTs electrode in the same medium.     

Synthesis and electrochemical probing of water-soluble poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate-co-acrylic acid)-grafted multiwalled carbon nanotubes

Water-soluble poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate-co-acrylic acid)-grafted multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNT-g-P(SSS-co-AA)) with core-shell nanostructure were successfully synthesized by in situ free radical copolymerization of sodium 4-strenesulfonate (SSS) and acrylic acid (AA) in the presence of MWNTs terminated with vinyl groups; their structure was characterized by FTIR, (1)H NMR, Raman, TGA and TEM. The results showed that the thickness and content of the copolymer layer grafted onto the MWNT surface are about 7-12?nm and 82.3%, respectively. The P(SSS-co-AA) covalently grafted on MWNTs provides MWNT-g-P(SSS-co-AA) with good hydrophilicity and solubility in water. Then a novel MWNT-g-P(SSS-co-AA)-modified glassy carbon electrode was fabricated by coating; its electrochemical properties were evaluated by electrochemical probe of K(3)[Fe(CN)(6)], and its catalytic behaviors to the electrochemical oxidation processes of dopamine (DA) and serotonin (5-HT) were investigated. Since the MWNT-g-P(SSS-co-AA)-modified electrode possesses strong electron transfer capability, high electrochemical activity and catalytic ability, it can be used in sensitive, selective, rapid and simultaneous monitoring of biomolecules.     

多壁碳纳米管对单质硫正极材料电化学性能的改性

为增强单质硫电极的导电性能和抑制活性硫在电解液中的溶解,选用高比表面积、强吸附能力的多壁碳纳米管作为非活性添加剂,通过密封分段加热的方式与单质硫形成复合材料。X射线衍射(XRD)、扫描电子显微镜(SEM)和比表面积(BET)测试均表明单质硫均匀分散到碳纳米管基体中。电化学测试显示添加碳纳米管的硫电极首次放电比容量高达1 487.0mAh.g-1,硫的利用率达到了88.9%,循环50次后比容量还保持在913.7mAh.g-1,较之普通硫电极其电化学性能得到显著改善。     

Sensitive and selective imprinted electrochemical sensor for p-nitrophenol based on ZnO nanoparticles/carbon nanotubes doped chitosan film

A sensitive and selective molecularly imprinted electrochemical sensor for p-nitrophenol detection has been developed based on ZnO nanoparticles/multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWNTs)-chitosan (CTS) nanocomposite. This nanocomposite was dripped onto an indium tin oxide electrode and then imprinted sol-gel solution was electrodeposited onto the modified electrode to construct the proposed sensor. The morphologies and electrochemical behaviors of the imprinted sensor were characterized by scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffraction, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, square wave voltammetry and cyclic voltammetry. The imprinted sensor displayed excellent selectivity towards the target molecule p-nitrophenol. Meanwhile, the introduced nanocomposite increased surface area and active sites for electron transfer, thus remarkably enhancing the sensitivity of the imprinted sensor. Under optimal conditions, the peak current was linear to p-nitrophenol concentration ranging from 1.0 × 10^− 8 to 2.0 × 10^− 4 mol·L^− 1 with a detection limits of 1.0 × 10^− 9 mol·L^− 1 (S/N = 3). This proposed sensor was applied to the detection of p-nitrophenol in various water samples successfully.     

Direct electrochemical determination of ascorbic acid by a cobalt(II) tetra-neopentyloxy phthalocyanine-multi-walled carbon nanotubes glassy carbon electrode

A cobalt(II) tetra-neopentyloxy phthalocyanine-multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CoTNPPc–MWNTs) composite was synthesized and characterized by UV–Vis spectra and transmission electron microscopy. The CoTNPPc–MWNTs glassy carbon electrode (CoTNPPc–MWNTs/GCE) was prepared by drop coating. The electrocatalytic performance of the chemically modified electrode was investigated for oxidation of ascorbic acid (AA). It was found that in phosphate buffer solution at pH = 6.60, the chemically modified electrode exhibited excellent electrocatalytic activity toward the oxidation of AA. The oxidation peak current increased linearly with the concentration of AA in the range of 10 μM–1.6 mM within the detection limit of 5 μM and low response time of 4 s.     

Adsorption of Pb(II) and Cd(II) from aqueous solutions using titanate nanotubes prepared via hydrothermal method

Titanate nanotubes (TNs) with specific surface areas of 272.31 m(2)g(-1) and pore volumes of 1.264 cm(3)g(-1) were synthesized by alkaline hydrothermal method. The TNs were investigated as adsorbents for the removal of Pb(II) and Cd(II) from aqueous solutions. The FT-IR analysis indicated that Pb(II) and Cd(II) adsorption were mainly ascribed to the hydroxyl groups in the TNs. Batch experiments were conducted by varying contact time, pH and adsorbent dosage. It was shown that the initial uptake of each metal ion was very fast in the first 5 min, and adsorption equilibrium was reached after 180 min. The adsorption of Pb(II) and Cd(II) were found to be maximum at pH in the range of 5.0-6.0. The adsorption kinetics of both metal ions followed the pseudo-second-order model. Equilibrium data were best fitted with the Langmuir isotherm model, and the maximum adsorption capacities of Pb(II) and Cd(II) were determined to be 520.83 and 238.61 mg g(-1), respectively. Moreover, more than 80% of Pb(II) and 85% of Cd(II) adsorbed onto TNs can be desorbed with 0.1M HCl after 3h. Thus, TNs were considered to be effective and promising materials for the removal of both Pb(II) and Cd(II) from wastewater.     

A highly sensitive and selective electrochemical sensor for determination of Cr(VI) in the presence of Cr(III) using modified multi-walled carbon nanotubes/quercetin screen-printed electrode

A novel screen-printed carbon electrode modified with quercetin/multi-walled carbon nanotubes was fabricated for determination of Cr(VI) in the presence of excess of Cr(III) without any pretreatment. The method is based on accumulation of the quercetin–Cr(III) complex generated in situ from Cr(VI) at the modified electrode surface in an open circuit followed by differential pulse voltammetry detection. The new method allowed selective determination of Cr(VI) in the presence of Cr(III). The influence of various parameters affecting the adsorptive stripping voltammetry performance was investigated. Under the optimum conditions, the calibration plot was found to be linear in the Cr(VI) concentration range from 1.0 to 200 μmol^? 1 with a limit of detection(S/N = 3) of 0.3 μmol L^– 1. The relative standard deviation (RSD%) of seven replicates of the current measurements for a 50 μmol^? 1 of Cr(VI) solution was 3.0%. The developed electrode displayed a very low or no sensitivity to alkali, alkali-earth and transition metal cations and was successfully applied for the determination of Cr(VI) in drinking water samples.     

Oligonucleotide-based fluorescence probe for sensitive and selective detection of mercury(II) in aqueous solution

In this paper we unveil a new homogeneous assayusing TOTO-3 and the polythymine oligonucleotide T 33for the highly selective and sensitive detection of Hg (2+) in aqueous solution. The fluorescence of TOTO-3 is weak in the absence or presence of randomly coiled T 33. After T 33 interacts specifically with Hg (2+) ions through T-Hg (2+)-T bonding, however, its conformation changes to form a folded structure that preferably binds to TOTO-3. As a result, the fluorescence of a mixture of T 33 and TOTO-3 increases in the presence of Hg (2+). Our data from fluorescence polarization spectroscopy, capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence detection, circular dichroism spectroscopy, and melting temperature measurements confirm the formation of folded T 33-Hg (2+) complexes. Under optimum conditions, the TOTO-3/T 33 probe exhibited a high selectivity (>or=265-fold) toward Hg (2+) over other metal ions, with a limit of detection of 0.6 ppb. We demonstrate the practicality of this TOTO-3/T 33 probe for the rapid determination of Hg (2+) levels in pond water and in batteries. This approach offers several advantages, including rapidity (<15 min), simplicity (label-free), and low cost.     

Taguchi optimization approach for Pb(II) and Hg(II) removal from aqueous solutions using modified mesoporous carbon

Using the Taguchi method, this study presents a systematic optimization approach for removal of lead (Pb) and mercury (Hg) by a nanostructure, zinc oxide-modified mesoporous carbon CMK-3 denoted as Zn-OCMK-3. CMK-3 was synthesized by using SBA-15 and then oxidized by nitric acid. The zinc oxide was loaded to the modified CMK-3 by the equilibrium adsorption of Zn(II) ions from aqueous solution followed by calcination to convert zinc nitrate to zinc oxide. The CMK-3 had porous structure and high specific surface area which can accommodate zinc oxide in a spreading manner, the zinc oxide connects to the carbon surface via oxygen atoms. The controllable factors such as agitation time, initial concentration, temperature, dose and pH of solution have been optimized. Under optimum conditions, the pollutant removal efficiency (PRE) was 97.25% for Pb(II) and 99% for Hg(II). The percentage contribution of each controllable factor was also determined. The initial concentration of pollutant is the most influential factor, and its value of percentage contribution is up to 31% and 43% for Pb and Hg, respectively. Our results show that the Zn-OCMK-3 is an effective nanoadsorbent for lead and mercury pollution remediation. Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherms were used to model the equilibrium adsorption data for Pb(II) and Hg(II).     

Self-assembly of single-walled carbon nanotubes into multiwalled carbon nanotubes in water: molecular dynamics simulations

We report discoveries from a series of molecular dynamics simulations that single-walled carbon nanotubes, with different diameters, lengths, and chiralities, can coaxially self-assemble into multiwalled carbon nanotubes in water via spontaneous insertion of smaller tubes into larger ones. The assembly process is tube-size-dependent, and the driving force is primarily the intertube van der Waals interactions. The simulations also suggest that a multiwalled carbon nanotube may be separated into single-walled carbon nanotubes under appropriate solvent conditions. This study suggests possible bottom-up self-assembly routes for the fabrication of novel nanodevices and systems.     

Comparisons of adsorbent cost for the removal of zinc (II) from aqueous solution by carbon nanotubes and activated carbon

The reversibility of Zn2+ sorption onto single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and powdered activated carbon (PAC) was investigated to evaluate their repeated availability performance in water treatment. Under the same conditions, the Zn2+ sorption capacity of SWCNTs and MWCNTs was more than that of PAC and could be maintained after several cycles of water treatment and regeneration. A statistical analysis on the replacement cost of these adsorbents based on the best-fit regression of the measured equilibrium capacity of each water treatment cycle was also conducted. The results revealed that the SWCNTs and MWCNTs could be reused through a large number of water treatment cycles and thus appear cost-effective in spite of their high unit cost at the present time.     

Surfactant assisted dispersion of functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes in aqueous media

The dispersibility of unfunctionalized and three differently functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) in the presence of anionic, cationic, and non-ionic surfactants was investigated. Significant differences in their dispersibility were revealed by UV–vis spectroscopy of the dispersed MWNTs. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, streaming potential measurements as well as pH measurements were conducted to characterize the MWNTs and their dispersions. Based on this information, possible interaction mechanisms between the surfactants and the differently functionalized MWNTs are proposed in order to account for the distinct dispersibility observed. Aqueous sizings containing low weight fractions of MWNTs were used for on-line modification of glass fibre (GF) sizings and preparation of GF/polypropylene composites, resulting in enhanced mechanical properties.     

In situ electrostatic assembly of CdS nanoparticles onto aligned multiwalled carbon nanotubes in aqueous solution

A simple method is described for the electrostatic assembly of CdS nanoparticles onto oxidized aligned multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) in aqueous solution. The method is convenient to control and allows the formation of a stable, water-soluble suspension of CdS/aligned-MWCNT heterostructures. The prepared CdS/aligned-MWCNT heterostructures are characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution TEM (HRTEM), energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS), x-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FT-IR). The fluorescence and UV absorption spectral properties of the hybrid material demonstrate electron transfer from CdS nanoparticles to aligned-MWCNTs, which implies its potential applications in photovoltaic cells, photocatalysis, and solar energy conversion.     

Single-walled carbon nanotubes modified carbon ionic liquid electrode for sensitive electrochemical detection of rutin

The single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) modified carbon ionic liquid electrode (CILE) was designed and further used for the voltammetric detection of rutin in this paper. CILE was prepared by mixing graphite powder with ionic liquid (IL) 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate and liquid paraffin together. Based on the interaction of SWCNTs with IL present on the electrode surface, a stable SWCNTs film was formed on the CILE to get a modified electrode denoted as SWCNTs/CILE. The characteristics of SWCNTs/CILE were recorded by different methods including cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The electrochemical behaviors of rutin on the SWCNTs/CILE were investigated by cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry. Due to the specific interface provided by the SWCNTs-IL film, the electrochemical response of rutin was greatly enhanced with a pair of well-defined redox peaks appeared in pH 2.5 phosphate buffer solution. The oxidation peak currents showed good linear relationship with the rutin concentration in the range from 1.0 × 10^− 7 to 8.0 × 10^− 4 mol/L with the detection limit as 7.0 × 10^− 8 mol/L (3σ). The SWCNTs/CILE showed the advantages such as excellent selectivity, improved performance, good stability and it was further applied to the rutin tablets sample detection with satisfactory results.     

Surface-functionalized pomelo peel-derived biochar with mercapto-1,2,4-triazloe for selective elimination of toxic Pb (II) in aqueous solutions

A novel biochar adsorbent (GP-AMT) is prepared by functionalizing biochar derived from pomelo peel to eliminate Pb (II) from water. GP-AMT was characterized by FTIR, SEM, BET, TGA and XPS. GP-AMT has a large specific area and is multiaperture. The adsorption performance was studied. At the pH = 5, the maximum uptake amount of Pb(II) on GP-AMT reached 420 mg/g. The sorption behavior of GP-AMT obeys with Langmuir and pseudo second-order formula, which shows that the adsorbing property of GP-AMT is uniform chemical sorption. Thermodynamic studies attested that the sorption was an irreversible endothermic course. GP-AMT demonstrated excellent selectivity and reproducibility. After 5 cycles, it still has an excellent sorption property. XPS and zeta potential analysis revealed that the adsorbing nature of GP-AMT for heavy metal ions was coordination and ion exchange. In conclusion, surface modification of biochar can significantly improve its sorption capacity, selectivity and regenerative ability for Pb(II), and reduce the pomelo peel waste pollution.     

多壁碳纳米管/聚亚苯基苯并二噁唑复合材料的微结构与性能

以甲基磺酸(MSA)为溶剂通过溶液共混法制备了不同多壁碳纳米管(MWNTs)含量的多壁碳纳米管/聚亚苯基苯并二噁唑(MWNTs/PBO)复合材料, 用扫描电镜(SEM)对热处理前后复合材料的微结构进行了分析, 并对其导电、力学和耐热性能进行了研究。结果表明: MWNTs能均匀地分散在聚合物基体中, 并能形成一定的网络结构, 热处理后的复合材料较热处理前的结构更致密, 导电性能和力学性能都有所改善, 其中MWNTs质量分数为10％的热处理后复合材料与纯PBO聚合物相比, 体积电阻率降低约9个数量级, 而拉伸强度和拉伸模量分别提高了95％和53％, 耐热性能也有一定的提高。      

Application of different types of carbon nanotubes as PIGE surface modifier in Pd(II) electrochemical determination

Nowadays, carbon nanotubes with differences in specific surface area, dopants, or functional groups are used in a number of applications, electrolysis not excluding. Various types of carbon nanotubes could improve bare graphite electrode properties by different way and so result in obtaining the different records for the same analyte. The automobile catalysts represent mobile sources of palladium. Levels of palladium in environment are continuously increasing and they need to be monitored. Electrochemistry is a useful and inexpensive component of the field of environment monitoring. For Pd(II) electrochemical determination, six types of carbon nanotubes were used as paraffin impregnated graphite electrode (PIGE) surface modifiers. Voltammetric determination brought interesting results of LOD, LOQ, standard and relative precisions of the method. These parameters as well as prediction intervals were calculated according to the technical procedure DIN 32 645 for the six electrodes and three pH values. Modification of PIGE with nitrogen doped carbon nanotubes (LOD = 1.91 × 10^?5 mol L^?1 or 3.14 × 10^?5 mol L^?1 for pH 3 and pH 4.5, respectively) seems very promising. In laboratory, functionalized carbon nanotubes, with specific surface area 200 m² g^?1, provided LOD = 1.49 × 10^?5 mol L^?1 (pH = 3) and 1.42 × 10^?5 mol L^?1 (pH = 4.5)     

Characterization of carbon nanotubes decorated with NiFe2O4 magnetic nanoparticles as a novel electrochemical sensor: Application for highly selective determination of sotalol using voltammetry

A magnetic nano‐composite of multiwall carbon nanotube, decorated with NiFe₂O₄ nanoparticles, was synthesized with citrate sol–gel method. The multiwall carbon nanotubes decorated with NiFe₂O₄ nanoparticles (NiFe₂O₄–MWCNTs) were characterized with different methods such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), cyclic voltammetry (CV), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The new nano-composite acts as a suitable electrocatalyst for the oxidation of sotalol at a potential of 500 mV at the surface of the modified electrode. Linear sweep voltammetry exhibited two wide linear dynamic ranges of 0.5–1000 μmol L^? 1 sotalol with a detection limit of 0.09 μmol L^? 1. The modified electrode was used as a novel electrochemical sensor for the determination of sotalol in real samples such as pharmaceutical, patient and safe human urine.