Studies of adsorption and total heterogeneity properties of pure and modified carbon nanotube surfaces

Modified carbon multiwall nanotubes were prepared via the oxidation process by means of 65 % nitric acid and/or ferric nitrate dissolved with 65 % nitric acid. Using special thermogravimetry (Q-TG), sorptometry, and AFM methods physicochemical properties of pure and modified nanotube surfaces were investigated. A numerical and analytical procedure for the evaluation of total heterogeneous properties on the basis of liquid thermodesorption from the sample surfaces under the quasi-equilibrium conditions is presented. The calculations of the fractal dimensions of carbon nanotubes using the thermogravimetry Q-TG, sorptometry, and AFM data are presented.     

Adsorption and porosity properties of pure and modified carbon nanotube surfaces

Modified carbon multiwall nanotubes were prepared via the oxidation process by means of 65% nitric acid or ferric nitrate dissolved with 65% nitric acid. Using special thermogravimetry and sorptometry methods physicochemical properties of pure and modified nanotube surfaces were investigated. A numerical and analytical procedure for the evaluation of total heterogeneous properties on the basis of liquid thermodesorption from the sample surfaces under the quasi-equilibrium conditions are presented. The calculations of the fractal dimensions of carbon nanotubes using the sorptometry and thermogravimetry data is presented.     

World of nanostructures - nanotechnology,surface properties of chosen nanomaterials

Summary The paper presents the basic information on nanotechnology and the recent results of studies of physicochemical properties of chosen nanomaterial surfaces (montmorillonites, carbon nanotubes, smart surfaces) by means of complex measuring methods. Physicochemical properties of nanomaterial surfaces by means of the special thermogravimetry Q-TG, sorptometry, porosimetry, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron micrograph (SEM) methods were investigated. A numerical and analytical procedure for the evaluation of total heterogeneous properties (desorption energy distribution and pore-size distribution functions) on the basis of liquid thermodesorption from the sample surfaces under the quasi-equilibrium conditions and sorptometry techniques are presented. The evaluation of the fractal dimensions of nanotubes using the sorptometry, porosimetry, thermogravimetry Q-TG and AFM data are presented. The comparison of fractal coefficients calculated based on them with the results from Q-TG, sorptometry, porosimetry and AFM gave good agreement.     

Adsorption and porosity properties of carbon-covered alumina surfaces

Uniformly carbon-covered alumina (CCA) was prepared via the carbonisation of sucrose highly dispersed on the alumina surface. Using special thermogravimetry and sorptometry methods physicochemical properties of carbon-covered alumina surfaces were investigated. A numerical and analytical procedure for the evaluation of total heterogeneous properties (desorption energy distribution and pore-size distribution functions) on the basis of liquid thermodesorption from the sample surfaces under the quasi-equilibrium conditions are presented. The desorption energy distribution was derived from the mass loss Q-TG and the differential mass loss Q-DTG curves of thermodesorption of pre-adsorbed polar and apolar liquid films. For the first time, the evaluation of the fractal dimensions of carbon-covered alumina using the sorptometry, thermogravimetry and AFM data is presented.     

Studies of surface properties of pure and modified by Mn<Superscript>2+</Superscript> and Ni<Superscript>2+</Superscript> ions of aluminium oxide samples using complex methods

Complex studies of physicochemical properties of pure and modified of aluminia oxides samples are presented. The presence of Mn²⁺ and Ni²⁺ modifiers on the aluminium oxide surface causes increase in water adsorption capacity and decrease in benzene and n-octane adsorption. This is due to decrease of specific surface area, volume and radius of pores as a result of surface impregnation and microcrystal formation during modification with manganese and nickel chlorides. Microcrystal formation on the surface and porosity decrease as confirmed by AFM, EDX and powder diffraction studies using automated diffractometer by step scanning. From the Q-TG and Q-DTG data, the energies of liquid desorption from the surface of the samples and the functions of desorption, energy distribution were calculated. High degree of nonlinearity of the functions resulting from great heterogeneity of the studied surface was found. Adsorption of cations creates more homogeneous surface in aluminium oxide, and it is responsible for the change in adsorbate molecule interaction energy and changes mechanism of adsorption and desorption as well as thickness and structure of the adsorbed film. From the experimental data some parameters characterizing adsorption properties and porosity of the studied samples were determined using the complex measuring methods (thermal analysis, sorptometry, porosimetry, AFM and EDX).     

Thermogravimetry Q-TG studies of surface properties of lunar nanoparticles

Using special thermogravimetry Q-TG method, physicochemical properties of lunar sample surfaces were investigated. The numerical and analytical procedures for the evaluation of energetic heterogeneous properties on the basis of liquid thermodesorption from the sample surfaces under the quasi-equilibrium conditions are presented. The calculations of the adsorption capacity and energy distribution functions of liquids on lunar surfaces on the basis of the thermogravimetry data are presented.     

Studies of surface properties of Na- and La-montmorillonites

This paper presents possible applications of thermal analysis, sorptometry and porosimetry to study physico-chemical properties of Na- and La-montmorillonite samples, especially for determination of total surface heterogeneity. The quasi-isothermal thermogravimetric (Q-TG) mass loss and its first derivative (Q-DTG) curves with respect to temperature and time obtained during programmed liquid thermodesorption under quasi-isothermal conditions have been used to study adsorbed layers and heterogeneous properties of the Na- and La-montmorillonites. Calculations of the desorption energy distribution functions by analytical procedure using mass loss Q-TG and differential mass loss Q-DTG curves of thermodesorption under quasi-isothermal conditions of polar and non-polar liquid vapours preadsorbed on a material surface are presented. Parameters relating to porosity of samples were determined by sorptometry, mercury porosimetry and atomic force microscopy (AFM). From nitrogen sorption isotherms from sorptometry and porosimetry methods, the fractal dimensions of montmorillonites have been calculated. Moreover, a new approach is proposed to calculate fractal dimensions of materials obtained from Q-TG curve; this is compared with values obtained by the above methods. The total heterogeneous properties (energy distribution function and pore-size distribution functions) of samples studied were estimated. The radius and pore volume of the tested samples calculated on the basis of thermogravimetry, sorptometry and porosimetry techniques were compared and good correlations obtained.     

Estimation of total heterogeneity properties of carbon nanotubes

Physico-chemical properties (adsorption capacity, desorption energy distribution and pore-size distribution functions) of nanomaterial surfaces from selected materials, based on sorptometric and liquid thermodesorption measurements under quasi-equilibrium conditions, are presented. The fractal dimensions of nanotubes using sorptometric and AFM data have been evaluated. Comparison of thermogravimetric and other data provide new information about the adsorption and pore structure of the studied materials. The fractal dimensions of nanomaterial surfaces using sorptometry are in good agreement with those from AFM.     

Surface properties of silica gel samples modified by selected proteins

The adsorption of a polar (water) and a non-polar (n-octane) liquid on silica gels, modified by adsorption of proteins, has been studied by thermal analysis. Silica gels with physically adsorbed BSA and ovalbumin layers were used. Thermodesorption energies were determined from Q-TG and Q-DTG curves recorded under quasi-equilibrium conditions. Significant differences in liquid desorption were observed from the surfaces due to heterogeneous changes (energetic and geometrical) as a result of modification. These results are compared with those obtained for the samples heated at 160°C for 1 h.     

Adsorption properties of modified multilayer carbon nanotubes with respect to benzoic acid

Multilayer carbon nanotubes were modified by ultrasonic treatment in nitric acid and subsequent calcination in an inert atmosphere of argon at temperatures of 500, 800, and 1200°C. The dependence of the adsorption of benzoic acid on carbon nanotubes on the temperature of their calcination was analyzed.     

Calorimetric evaluation of activated carbons modified for phenol and 2,4-dinitrophenol adsorption

Two commercial activated carbons with differences in their superficial chemistry, one granular and the other pelletised, were modified for use in phenol and 2,4-dinitrophenol adsorption. In this paper, changes to the activated carbon surface will be evaluated from their immersion calorimetry in water and benzene, and they will then be compared with Area BET, chemical parameters, micropore size distributions and hydrophobicity factors of the modified activated carbons. The activated carbons were modified using 60 % solutions of phosphoric acid (H₃PO₄), nitric acid (HNO₃), zinc chloride (ZnCl₂) and potassium hydroxide (KOH); the activated carbon/solution ratio was 1:3 and impregnation was conducted 291 K for a period of 72 h before samples were washed until a constant pH was obtained. Water immersion calorimetry showed that the best results were obtained from activated carbons modified with nitric acid, which increased from ?10.6 to ?29.8 J g^?1 for modified granular activated carbon, and ?30.9 to ?129.3 J g^?1 for pelletised activated carbon. Additionally, they showed the best results in phenol and 2.4-dititrophenol adsorption. Those results indicate that impregnation with nitric acid under the employed conditions could generate a greater presence of oxygenated groups on their surface, which favours hydrogen bond formation and the increased adsorption of polar compounds. It should also be noted that immersion enthalpy in benzene for modified activated carbon with nitric acid is the method with the lowest value, which is consistent with the increased presence of polar groups on its surface. Regarding hydrophobicity factors, it was observed that granular carbons modified with nitric acid and potassium hydroxide have the lowest ratios, indicating greater interaction with water.     

A glassy carbon electrode modified with the nickel(II)-bis(1,10-phenanthroline) complex and multi-walled carbon nanotubes, and its use as a sensor for ascorbic acid

A glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was modified with the nickel(II)-bis(1,10-phenanthroline) complex and with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). The nickel complex was electrodeposited on the MWCNTs by cyclic voltammetry. The modified GCE displays excellent electrocatalytic activity to the oxidation of ascorbic acid (AA). The effects of fraction of MWCNTs, film thickness and pH values were optimized. Response to AA is linear in the 10 to 630 μM concentration range, and the detection limit is 4 μM (at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3:1). The modified electrode was applied to determine AA in vitamin C tablets and in spiked fruit juice.

Determination of some trace elements by flame atomic absorption spectrometry after preconcentration and separation by Escherichia coli immobilized on multiwalled carbon nanotubes

We have immobilized living and non-living Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria on multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) and used such materials as a biosorbent for the separation and preconcentration of copper, cobalt, cadmium and nickel prior to their determination by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). E. coli bacteria cells were mixed with MWCNTs in a 1:1 ratio, dried and placed at the tip of a 50-mL syringe. The ions were retained on the sorbent and then eluted by drawing and ejecting back the sample (or standard solution) and an eluent, respectively. The effects of various experimental parameters on the sorption and elution were investigated. The analytes were quantitatively retained (at pH values of 7) and eluted (with 0.5 M nitric acid) with high precision, the RSD being <5%. The performances of the new sorbents were compared using certified reference materials. The sorbent modified with living E. coli has a higher adsorption capacity and displays somewhat better recoveries compared to sorbent based on non-living E. coli. Both sorbents were successfully used for the separation and preconcentration of copper, cobalt, cadmium and nickel prior to their determination by flame atomic absorption spectrometry.

Glassy carbon electrodes modified with single walled carbon nanotubes and cobalt phthalocyanine and nickel tetrasulfonated phthalocyanine: Highly stable new hybrids with enhanced electrocatalytic performances

We report here a fast procedure to modify glassy carbon (GC) electrode using commercially available unsubstituted cobalt phthalocyanine (CoPc) and tetrasulfonated substituted nickel phthalocyanine (NiTSPc) simply adsorbed on oxidized single walled carbon nanotubes SWCNT. The electrocatalytic activity of the resulting SWCNT-MPc nanocomposite materials was evaluated toward the oxidation of two biologically relevant molecules, namely 2-mercaptoethanol (2-ME) and nitric oxide (NO). The obtained electrodes are highly stable under hydrodynamic conditions and the tailored hybrid surfaces allow enhancing electron transfer for the electrocatalytic oxidation of 2-ME and NO.     

Sorption of strontium ions from aqueous solutions by oxidized multiwall carbon nanotubes

Multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) oxidized by nitric acid solution were used to investigate the adsorption behavior of strontium from aqueous solutions similar to the nuclear waste media. The physical properties of both as produced and oxidized MWCNTs were studied by Boehm’s titration method and nitrogen adsorption/desorption. The results showed that the surface properties of MWCNTs such as specific surface area, functional groups and the total number of acid sites were improved after oxidation. Furthermore, the effect of solution conditions such as initial concentration of strontium(II), pH, ionic strength, MWCNT concentration and contact time were studied at room temperature. The results of this study showed that the adsorption of strontium(II) was significantly influenced by the pH value and the solution ionic strength. According to the Langmuir model, the maximum adsorption capacities of strontium(II) onto the as produced and oxidized MWCNTs were obtained as 1.62 and 6.62 mg g^?1, respectively. The contact time to reach equilibrium was 100 min. The good adsorption of strontium(II) on oxidized MWCNTs at the lower ionic strength, the relatively high pH and the short equilibrium time indicate that the oxidized MWCNTs have great potential applications in the field of the environmental protection.     

纳米碳管表面羧基化及其电还原性能

应用红外吸收光谱、扫描电子显微镜分别对纳米碳管和硝化后的纳米碳管进行表征,将其制备成粉末微电极,并在碱性溶液中测试它对对硝基苯酚的电还原性能.实验表明:经硝化处理后,碳管表面修饰了羰基,其电还原性能明显提高.依据实验结果探讨了硝化后纳米碳管于对硝基苯酚电还原过程中的反应机理.     

Cu-Co-Fe oxide catalysts supported on carbon nanotubes for the oxidation of CO

The catalytic activity and adsorption characteristics of the surface of catalysts in the form of carbon nanotubes produced on nickel and cobalt oxides with the Cu-Co-Fe oxide system as supported active phase were studied. At carbon nanotubes produced on nickel oxide with (10 + 10) wt.% of the catalytically active phase total conversion of CO to CO₂ is realized at 47 °C. This sample has high specific surface area and a large volume of mesopores. It was shown that the increase in catalytic activity correlates with the increase in the amount of the α₂ form of CO₂. __________ Translated from Teoreticheskaya i éksperimental’naya Khimiya, Vol. 42, No. 4, pp. 222–226, July–August, 2006.     

Mechanism of carbon nanotube dispersion and precipitation during treatment with poly(acrylic acid)

Carbon nanotubes have been shown to be easily dispersed within an acidic aqueous solution of poly(acrylic acid) but precipitate when the pH is increased. Transmission electron microscopy showed that the nanotubes were more exfoliated under the acidic condition but highly aggregated under the basic condition. Carbon K‐edge NEXAFS spectroscopy showed that the carbon nanotubes did not chemically react with poly(acrylic acid) during the dispersion or precipitation and that the dispersion mainly involved physical adsorption of poly(acrylic acid) onto the nanotubes. Together with the carbon K‐edge NEXAFS spectra, the cobalt L_{3, 2}‐edge NEXAFS spectra suggested that under the basic condition, the cobalt impurity within the nanotubes strongly reacted with poly(acrylic acid) resulting in complex formation. Cobalt reduces the adsorption of poly(acrylic acid) onto the nanotubes, which then reduced the nanotube dispersion and resulted in the precipitation. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Application of modified multiwall carbon nanotubes as a sorbent for zirconium (IV) adsorption from aqueous solution

Modified multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) by nitric acid solution were used to investigate the adsorption behavior of zirconium from aqueous solution. Pristine and oxidized MWCNTs were characterized using nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherm, Boehm’s titration method, thermogravimetry analysis, transmission electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The results showed that the surface properties of MWCNTs such as specific surface area, total pore volume, functional groups and the total number of acidic and basic sites were improved after oxidation. These improvements are responsible for their hydrophobic properties and consequently an easy dispersion in water and suitable active sites for more adsorption of zirconium. The adsorption of Zr(IV) as a function of initial concentration of zirconium, contact time, MWCNTs dosage, HCl and HNO₃ concentration and also ionic strength was investigated using a batch technique under ambient conditions. The experimental results indicated that sorption of Zr(IV) was strongly influenced by zirconium concentrations, oxidized MWCNTs content and acid pH values. The calculated correlation coefficient of the linear regressions values showed that Langmuir model fits the adsorption equilibrium data better than the Freundlich model. Kinetic data of sorption indicated that equilibrium was achieved within 60 min and the adsorption process can be described by the pseudo second-order reaction rate model. Based on the experimental results, surface complexation is the major mechanism for adsorption of Zr(IV) onto MWCNTs. Also, Study on the desorption process of zirconium showed that the complete recovery can be obtained using nitric or hydrochloric acids of 4 M.     

Voltammetric study on pristine and nitrogen-doped multi-walled carbon nanotubes decorated with gold nanoparticles

Films consisting of pristine multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and nitrogen-doped MWCNTs (N-MWCNTs) were fabricated by means of chemical vapor deposition and chemically decorated with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). Optical microscopy and image analysis reveal that the deposited AuNPs have diameters of 50–200 nm and 100–400 nm, respectively. The AuNP-modified films of MWCNTs and of N-MWCNTs were initially investigated with respect to their response to the ferro/ferricyanide redox system. The N-MWCNTs/AuNPs exhibit lower detection limit (0.345 μM) for this redox system compared to that of MWCNTs/AuNPs (0.902 μM). This is probably due to the presence of nitrogen that appears to enhance the electrocatalytic activity of MWCNTs. The findings demonstrate that the electrochemical responses of both films are distinctly enhanced upon deposition of AuNPs on their surfaces. The detection limits of MWCNTs/AuNPs and N-MWCNTs/AuNPs systems are lower by about 43 % and 27 %, respectively, compared to films not modified with AuNPs. The electrocatalytic activity of the films towards the oxidation of ascorbic acid (AA), uric acid (UA), and dopamine (DA) was studied. The findings reveal that N-MWCNTs/AuNPs represent a powerful analytical tool that enables simultaneous analysis of AA, UA, and DA in a single experiment.