Adsorption characterization of fabricated single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) buckypapers for volatile organic compound (VOC) sampling

Details

• Personal Author:
  Floyd E ; Lungu C
• Description:
  Objective: To compare adsorption efficiency of single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) buckypapers obtained through different fabrication methods to be used as volatile organic compound (VOC) adsorbent. Methods: Arc discharge SWNTs suspended in surfactants (1% W/V of sodium cholate and sodium dodecyl sulfate) was fabricated into buckypaper. For that, 200 mL (50 mg) of the SWNT solution was suspended (diluted) in 400 mL of acetone for 15 hours, filtered through a polytetrafluoroethylene membrane filter under vacuum. SWNT cake deposited onto the filter was delaminated to obtain a buckypaper (no cleaning process). For cleaning SWNTs, additional steps were involved after SWNT solution was vacuum-filtered. SWNT cake was cleaned with 250 mL of deionized (DI) water and 50 mL of acetone (acetone-cleaned). Alternatively, methanol was used to suspend SWNTs and in the cleaning process as well (methanol-cleaned). The fabricated buckypapers (n=2) were examined for adsorption efficiency in terms of surface area, pore size, and adsorption isotherm. Surface area and pore size were measured using a physisorption analyzer and adsorption isotherms were obtained by repeated indirect injection of liquid toluene into an adsorption chamber until adsorbent was saturated at 23 degreesC. Results: Buckypapers without cleaning had 43 m2/g Brunauer, Emmett and Teller (BET) surface area (SA) with 15 nm average pore width while buckypapers cleaned with acetone and methanol exhibited 217 and 348 m2/g BET surface areas with 9 and 8 nm average pore widths, respectively. The toluene adsorption capacities were 52, 58, and 69 mg (toluene)/g (buckypaper) for not cleaned, acetone-, and methanol-cleaned buckypapers, respectively. Conclusions: The cleaning process with DI water and solvents (acetone and methanol) increased BET surface area and decreased the average pore size of the buckypapers. Toluene adsorption capacity increased with increasing surface area of buckypaper. Overall, buckypapers cleaned with DI water and methanol were the most adsorptive. The methanol-cleaned buckypapers will be investigated for desorption efficiency using a photothermal desorption technique which desorbs an analyte by irradiating the sorbent with light, eliminating sample preparation time for analysis. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Acetone Laboratories Manufacturing And Industrial Facilities Methanol Occupational Health Radiation Safety Solvents Surface-Active Agents Temperature Toluene

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• Keywords:
  Adsorbents Analytical-instruments Analytical-processes Chemical Cleaning Filter Membranes Irradiation Laboratory Techniques Materials-testing Measurement-equipment Nanotechnology Organic-chemicals Organic-compounds Performance-capability Photometry Porous-materials Porous Materials Sampling Sampling-equipment Sampling Methods Single-walled Carbon Nanotubes Sodium Compounds Sulfates Surface Properties Surfactants SWCNT Temperature Control Thermal-effects Volatiles

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• Publisher:
  American Industrial Hygiene Association
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Abstract or Summary
• Place as Subject:
  Alabama ; Oklahoma ; OSHA Region 4 ; OSHA Region 6 ; OSHA Region 8 ; Utah
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  66-67
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20047833
• Citation:
  AIHce 2015: American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition, May 30 - June 4, 2015, Salt Lake City, Utah. Falls Church, VA: American Industrial Hygiene Association, 2015 May; :66-67
• CAS Registry Number:
  Acetone (CAS RN 67-64-1) ; Carbon nanotubes (CAS RN 308068-56-6) ; Methanol (CAS RN 67-56-1) ; Sodium cholate (CAS RN 361-09-1) ; Sodium dodecyl sulfate (CAS RN 151-21-3) ; Toluene (CAS RN 108-88-3)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2015
• Performing Organization:
  University of Alabama at Birmingham
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  20130901
• Source Full Name:
  AIHce 2015: American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition, May 30 - June 4, 2015, Salt Lake City, Utah
• End Date:
  20150831
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:2e21467d29579ba43ce4e53a9e7c745c7ef4c091b8088007e9a81aac6e3ca41ca12bf3160692180585fa68c8d467cfe5b3e504f47c70ed8f530ebff0ee19b427
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/202800/cdc_202800_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 710.33 KB ]