The Performance of Functionalized Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotube-Based Filters for Water Treatment Applications

Abstract

Water contamination is a crucial environmental issue, and various methods and processes have been implemented for water treatment and decontamination. Various methods have been developed for handling issues relevant to water quality. In environmental applications, particularly wastewater treatment, carbon-based nanomaterials, particularly multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs), have attracted significant interest because of their large specific surface area and associated adsorption sites. Despite having previously mentioned attractive characteristics, their natural chemical structure causes them to aggregate, which restricts their practical applications. It necessitates surface modification or functionalization to reduce agglomeration and improve the dispersibility. For the purpose of purifying water, several studies have focused on covalent and non-covalent functionalization. Different functionalization procedures of MWNTs are employed to enhance the adsorption potential applications. According to several studies, functionalized MWNTs may remove up to 98% of organic contaminants and heavy metals when performing under ideal conditions. Because of their high adsorption capacity, functionalized MWNTs have been shown to be promising nanomaterials for the purification of waterways. Nevertheless, most functional carbon nanotube applications are restricted to laboratory-based research. Further research is required to determine the viability of their adsorption methods in large-scale and industrial applications.