Abstract
M.Tech. (Extraction Metallurgy)
For many decades, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been used as adsorbents for
the removal of pollutants from wastewaters because of their unique properties
such as inert surface, resistance to acid and base environment, rigidity and
strength. Herein is a report of application of functionalised CNTs on the adsorption
of metal ions from aqueous solutions and mine leachates. The CNTs were first
synthesised in-house, purified, functionalised and characterised with various
characterisation techniques: FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared), SEM (Scanning
Electron Microscopy, TEM (Transmission Electron Microscopy), EDS (Energy
Dispersive Spectroscopy), Raman Spectroscopy, TGA (Thermal Gravimetric
Analysis) and BET (Brunauer-Emmet-Teller). Together, these techniques gave
substantiation for structure, surface and chemical modification of the synthesised
moieties. After characterisation, the functional groups were attached to the walls of
the tubes and this implies successful functionalisation...