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...
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:uj/uj:7961 |
| Date | 27 January 2014 |
| Creators | Mgwetyana, Unathi |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Rights | University of Johannesburg |
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