Adsorption of Reactive Blue 116 Dye and Reactive Yellow 81 Dye from Aqueous Solutions by Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes

Abstract

The multi-walled carbon nanotubes obtained by catalytic chemical vapour deposition synthesis are used as a solid matrix for the adsorption of the Reactive Blue 116 dye and the Reactive Yellow 81 dye from aqueous solutions at different pH values. The batch tests carried out allowed us to investigate the different effects of pH (2, 4, 7, 9 and 12) and of the contact time (2.5 ÷ 240 min) used. The liquid phase was analysed using ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry in order to characterise the adsorption kinetics, the transport mechanisms and the adsorption isotherms. The adsorption of the optimal dye was observed at pH 2 and 12. The pseudo-first order kinetic model provided the best approximation of experimental data compared to the pseudo-second order kinetic model. The predominant transport mechanism investigated with the Weber and Morris method was molecular diffusion for both Reactive Yellow 81 and Reactive Blue 116, and the equilibrium data were better adapted to the Langmuir isothermal model. The maximum adsorption capacity for Reactive Yellow 81 and Reactive Blue 116 occurred with values of 33.859 mg g−1 and 32.968 mg g−1, respectively.

Keywords

• adsorption
• carbon nanotubes
• non-linear isotherm fitting
• Reactive Blue 116
• Reactive Yellow 81