Investigation of the adsorption of polymer chains on amine-functionalized double-walled carbon nanotubes

Treatment of Water Contaminated with Reactive Black-5 Dye by Carbon Nanotubes

Most of the dyes used today by the textile industry are of synthetic origin. These substances, many of which are highly toxic, are in many cases not adequately filtered during the processing stages, ending up in groundwater and water courses. The aim of this work was to optimize the adsorption process of carbon nanotubes to remove an azo-dye, called Reactive Black-5, from aqueous systems. Particular systems containing carbon nanotubes and dye solutions were analyzed. Furthermore, the reversibility of the process and the presence of possible degradation phenomena by the dye molecules were investigated. For this purpose, the influence of different parameters on the adsorption process, such as the nature of the carbon nanotubes (purified and nonpurified), initial concentration of the dye, stirring speed, and contact times, were studied. The solid and liquid phases after the tests were characterized by chemical-physical techniques such as thermogravimetric analysis (TG, DTA), UV spectrophotometry, BET (Brunauer, Emmett, Teller), and TOC (total organic carbon) analysis. The data obtained showed a high adsorbing capacity of carbon nanotubes in the removal of the Reactive Black-5 dye from aqueous systems. Furthermore, the efficiency of the adsorption process was observed to be influenced by the stirring speed of the samples and the contact time, while purified and nonpurified nanotubes provided substantially the same results.

Adsorption of Reactive Blue 116 Dye and Reactive Yellow 81 Dye from Aqueous Solutions by Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes

The multi-walled carbon nanotubes obtained by catalytic chemical vapour deposition synthesis are used as a solid matrix for the adsorption of the Reactive Blue 116 dye and the Reactive Yellow 81 dye from aqueous solutions at different pH values. The batch tests carried out allowed us to investigate the different effects of pH (2, 4, 7, 9 and 12) and of the contact time (2.5 ÷ 240 min) used. The liquid phase was analysed using ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry in order to characterise the adsorption kinetics, the transport mechanisms and the adsorption isotherms. The adsorption of the optimal dye was observed at pH 2 and 12. The pseudo-first order kinetic model provided the best approximation of experimental data compared to the pseudo-second order kinetic model. The predominant transport mechanism investigated with the Weber and Morris method was molecular diffusion for both Reactive Yellow 81 and Reactive Blue 116, and the equilibrium data were better adapted to the Langmuir isothermal model. The maximum adsorption capacity for Reactive Yellow 81 and Reactive Blue 116 occurred with values of 33.859 mg g^-1 and 32.968 mg g^-1, respectively.

Molecular dynamics simulation of polystyrene copolymer with octyl short-chain branches in toluene

In this study, dimensional, conformational and dynamic behaviors of a short-chain branched styrene/1-octene copolymer chain with different 1-octene percentages, i.e., 0, 2, 4 and 6%, in toluene are investigated at the temperature of 298.15 K via molecular dynamics simulation. The chain dimensions and flexibility in the solvent are evaluated by calculating the radius of gyration (R_g), end-to-end distance (<r₀>), surface area (A_ch), and volume (V_ch) of the copolymer chain. The mean square displacement (MSD) and diffusivity coefficient for each copolymer chain are measured to determine its dynamic behavior and mobility in aromatic media. To consider the effect of increasing the 1-octene co-monomer percentage on the copolymer chain affinity to the solvent molecules, the interaction energy (E_int) and Flory-Huggins (FH) interaction parameter are calculated for each equilibrated solution model. The simulation results indicate that the co-monomer level increment in the copolymer structure reduces the chain R_g amount and its interaction with the solvent. The <r₀> of the chain increases up to 4% co-monomer content, while further co-monomer content decreases the <r₀> value. Additionally, the viscosity of the equilibrated dilute solutions is calculated via non-equilibrium molecular dynamics simulation (NEMD). Moreover, the steric hindrance of the copolymers and the solvent molecules capturing in the dilute solution is determined via radial distribution function (RDF) analysis. Helmholtz free energy and the system entropy changes are calculated to evaluate the tendency of the copolymer to the solvent molecules and its dilute solution irregularity, respectively. Graphical abstract The figure shows the variations trend of the poly(styrene-co-1-octene) chain dimensions in toluene aromatic solvent by increasing the 1-octene content (x), after the equilibration state. Red and blue colors represent the carbon atoms of the copolymer chain backbone and 1-octene side chains, respectively. The styrene rings and the hydrogen atoms of the chains were removed for better view.

Tensile characteristics of carbene-functionalized CNTs subjected to physisorption of polymer chains: a molecular dynamics study

Tensile properties such as Young's modulus and ultimate tensile force are important properties in understanding the characteristics of nanocomposites. Besides, the importance of functionalization methods in modification of the unique mechanical and elastic properties of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is being widely recognized. In this paper, the tensile properties of CNTs functionalized with carbene under physisorption of polymer chains, i.e., aramid and polyketone chains, are investigated by using a series of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The results illustrated that Young's modulus of carbene-functionalized CNTs (cfCNTs) decreases by rising the weight percentage of carbene. By contrast, Young's modulus of cfCNTs under physisorption of polymer chains (cfCNTs/polymers) increases as the carbene weight rises. In a particular carbene weight, Young's modulus of cfCNTs/polymers decreases by increasing the chains of non-covalent functional groups. Moreover, it is shown that similar to Young's modulus, ultimate tensile force of cfCNTs reduces by increasing the weight percentage of carbene whereas the ultimate tensile force of cfCNTs/polymers has an increasing trend with raising the carbene weight.

Buckling analysis of defective cross-linked functionalized single- and double-walled carbon nanotubes with polyethylene chains using molecular dynamics simulations

Functionalized carbon nanotubes (CNTs) can be used for improving the mechanical properties and load transfer in nanocomposites. In this research, the buckling behavior of perfect and defective cross-linked functionalized CNTs with polyethylene (PE) chains is studied employing molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Two different configurations with the consideration of vacancy defects, namely mapped and wrapped, are selected. According to the results, critical buckling force of cross-linked functionalized CNTs with PE chains increases as compared to pure CNTs, especially in the case of double-walled carbon nanotubes (DWCNTs). By contrast, it is demonstrated that critical strain of cross-linked functionalized CNTs decreases as compared to that of pristine CNTs. Also, it is observed that increasing the weight percentage leads to the higher increase and the decrease in critical buckling force and strain of cross-linked functionalized CNTs, respectively. Moreover, the presence of defect considerably reduces both critical buckling force and strain of cross-linked functionalized CNTs. Finally, it is shown that the critical buckling strain is more sensitive to the presence of defects as compared to critical buckling force.