Porous polymer nanocomposites containing single-walled carbon nanotubes for chromium (VI) removal from water

摘要: By using a high internal phase emulsion (HIPE) templating approach, we synthesize functional porous nanocomposites containing single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). HIPEs are prepared from an oil phase consisting of 2-ethylhexyl acrylate (2-EHA) and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) monomers, while the modified SWCNTs are dispersed in the aqueous phase using sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) surfactant. The resulting monolithic nanocomposites, denoted as PHIPE/SWCNT, with high porosity and effective functional groups are used for selective Cr(VI) removal from contaminated water. The effects of adsorption parameters such as the initial pH of the solution, adsorbent amount, contact time, and initial Cr(VI) concentration on the removal efficiency are investigated and optimized. The experimental results reveal that Cr(VI) adsorption kinetics and equilibrium in PHIPE/SWCNT are well described …