Affiliation:
1. Vernadsky Institute of Geochemistry and Analytical Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences
Abstract
Various methods for the oxidation of different types of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in nitric acid and a mixture of nitric and sulfuric acids at various temperatures and durations of exposure are studied. Oxidation conditions that provide the high sorption activity of sorbents with respect to REE are found. Oxidized CNTs are characterized by acid-base titration and scanning electron microscopy, and the electrokinetic (ζ) potential of nanotube suspensions is determined as a function of pH. The elemental composition of CNTs is determined by ICP MS/AES methods. The sorption capacity of the oxidized CNTs with respect to a wide range of elements is determined. Their unique selectivity with respect to REE is revealed. A possibility of using oxidized CNTs for the efficient sorption preconcentration of REE with the aim to determine their ultralow concentrations in rocks is proved.
Publisher
The Russian Academy of Sciences