Carbon nanotube sponge has super suction ability

Researchers from the University of Rome, L'Aquila and France's Nantes University have collaborated to develop a carbon nanotube (CNT) sponge that can absorb pollutants such as fertilizers, pesticides, and pharmaceuticals in water. The purification efficiency is three times that of previous methods. After sulfur is doped, it can also increase the ability to absorb oil, and it is likely to show its full potential in industrial accidents and oil spill cleanup. The results of this study are published in the recent "Nanotechnology."

Carbon nanotubes are hollow "micropipes" made of hexagonal meshes resembling graphite structures. Its extraordinary chemical and mechanical properties can form a series of applications from body armor to solar panels. One of the difficulties faced by carbon nanotubes, which have been regarded as an excellent choice for waste water treatment, is that the ultra-fine particles are difficult to handle and eventually are scattered into the treated water and detected.

Luca Camille, the lead author of the paper and a researcher at the University of Rome, said: “The use of carbon nanotube powder to remove oil spilled into the sea is tricky because they are difficult to handle and eventually fall into the ocean. The millimeters or centimeters of carbon nanotubes synthesized in the study are easier to control and their porous structure can float on the water surface, and once the adsorption oil is saturated, it is easier to remove. Then, simply squeeze them to release the oil. It can still be reused."

The researchers formed carbon nanotubes into a large number of required sizes, and added sulfur to the production process to form sponges with an average length of 20 mm. The vulcanization of the surface of the carbon nanotube sponge activates ferrocene added in the production process, thereby depositing the deposited iron into tiny capsules in the carbon shell. The presence of iron means that the sponge can be controlled magnetically and driven without any direct contact, alleviating the problem of poor handling when adding carbon nanotubes to a water surface.

The researchers demonstrated how carbon nanotube sponges successfully remove the toxic organic solvent, dichlorobenzene, from water, demonstrating that it can absorb 3.5 times more material than previous methods. The carbon nanotube sponge has also been shown to absorb vegetable oils up to 150 times its original weight, and absorbing engine oil is slightly higher than previously reported.

Camille said: "The next stage of the study is to improve the synthesis process so that this sponge can be produced in large scale, and we must also study the toxic and side effects of this carbon nanotube sponge in practical applications."

Copyright Statement: This article is reproduced from online media and represents only the author's opinion. It has nothing to do with this site. If news articles and comments infringe your legal rights, please call us and we will handle it in a timely manner.