Synthesis, Characterization and adsorption studies of fluorine–doped carbon nanotubes

Abstract

Fluorine-doped carbon nanotubes were synthesized using cobalt and silver co-catalyst on magnesium oxide support and their morphological features studied using Raman spectroscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDX), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray diffraction spectroscopy. The morphological images showed amorphous multiwall nanotubes with some crystalline regions that are attributable to the doping of the fluorine. The prepared material was used as adsorbent and the adsorption studies recorded a rapid uptake of Cr3+ by the CNTs which was mainly diffusion controlled. Equilibrium and thermodynamic were assessed by the concentration, time and temperature effects respectively.The thermodynamic studies suggested relatively low temperature (low energy) favoured sorption which was exothermic with a physic-sorption mechanism.