title: Free-standing carbon nanotube/graphene hybrid papers as next generation adsorbents.
abstract: The adsorption of a series of aromatic compounds from aqueous solution onto purified, free-standing single-walled carbon nanotube/graphene nanoplatelet hybrid papers is studied both experimentally and theoretically. Experimental data is obtained via changes in optical absorption spectra of the aqueous solutions and is used to extract all parameters required to implement a semi-empirical mass-transfer model. Agreement between experiment and theory is excellent and data from all compounds can be cast on a universal adsorption curve. Results indicate that the rate of adsorption and long-time capacity of many aromatic compounds on hybrid paper adsorbent significantly exceeds that of activated carbon by at least an order of magnitude. The combination of carbon nanotubes and graphene also promotes on the order of a 25% improvement in adsorption rates and capacities than either component alone. Hybrid nanocomposites show significant promise as adsorption materials used for environmental remediation efforts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY 14623, USA. reginald.rogers@rit.edu.
authors.forename: Anthony B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Dichiara
authors.forename: Tyler J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Sherwood
authors.forename: Jared
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Benton-Smith
authors.forename: Jonathan C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: Steven J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Weinstein
authors.forename: Reginald E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Rogers
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D003198:Computer Simulation; D006108:Graphite / Q000737:chemistry*; D006841:Hydrocarbons, Aromatic / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008422:Materials Testing; D008956:Models, Chemical; D053761:Nanocomposites / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010209:Paper; D010316:Particle Size; D014462:Ultrafiltration / Q000379:methods; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D006841:Hydrocarbons, Aromatic; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D006108:Graphite