Decoration of carbon nanotubes with MgO and CuFe₂O₄ as a nanorod composite for the removal of Pb (II) ion from aqueous media

Abstract

The aim of this study was to fabricate CNT@MgO@CuFe₂O₄ nanorod composite as a novel adsorbent for the removal of Pb (II) ions from aqueous media. The structural features of CNT, CNT@MgO and CNT@MgO@CuFe₂O₄ composite were studied by FTIR, XRD, VSM, BET, SEM, EDX, and Map analyses. BET analysis indicated that MgO/CNT and CNT@MgO@CuFe₂O₄ composite have mesoporous structures. Also, the specific surface area of CNT@MgO and CNT@MgO@CuFe₂O₄ were 84.84 and 95.79 m²/g, respectively. VSM analysis also indicated that the CNT@MgO@CuFe₂O₄ composite has a paramagnetic property. Moreover, the utmost sorption efficiency of Pb (II) ions using CNT, CNT@MgO and CNT@MgO@CuFe₂O₄ composite were obtained 92.37%, 96.34%, and 99.09%, respectively, indicating that the removal efficiencies were significantly increased by modifying the CNT surface. Besides, the maximum sorption capacity of CNT, CNT@MgO and CNT@MgO@CuFe₂O₄ by the Langmuir model were 27.7, 32.68, and 47.62 mg/g, respectively, indicating that the CNT@MgO@CuFe₂O₄ composite has the highest sorption capacity. Also, the equilibrium and thermodynamic behavior indicated that the sorption process of Pb (II) using all three adsorbents is physical, favorable, exothermic, and spontaneous. In general, the findings revealed that the CNT@MgO@CuFe₂O₄ nanorod composite can be used effectively to remove Pb (II) ions from wastewater.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords:

• Adsorption
• Pb (II)
• carbon nanotubes
• MgO
• CuFe₂O₄