Synthesis and characterization of novel nanocomposite by using kaolinite and carbon nanotubes

Abstract Environmental Pollution has increased tremendously since last few years as a result of urbanization leading to environmental, geological and global changes. There are numerous emerging pollutants which are toxic in nature. Since they may have critical environmental repercussions they have to be deactivated or mitigated by various technical means. Therefore, there is a need to develop new and novel smart material for sustainable environmental pollution control. Various types of clay and carbon materials are well known for their application in environmental protection using their properties of adsorption. However, they have been used separately. Keeping this thought, new material using kaolinite (kaol) and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) has been developed with the potential application in water treatment. Kaol has been modified by chemical treatment method to get NH 2 bondings as is evident from Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy showing reflection at 1618 cm − 1 . MWCNT were also modified by chemical route to develop COOH bonding and it was confirmed by FT-IR reflection at 1726 cm − 1 . Fabrication of nanocomposite by solution mixing method to get CONH bonding was confirmed by the reflection at 1682 cm − 1 on FT-IR spectrum. The structural properties of nanocomposites have been studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD). Mean size of crystalline structure was 32.46 nm for untreated kaol and 19.55 nm for nanocomposite. Simultaneously loss of intensity and widening of XRD reflection occurred due to change in crystalline to amorphous form. It was an indication of increase in amorphous form and reduction in crystallinity. It was evident from scanning electron microscopy (SEM), that clay- CNT nanocomposite was homogenized and has distinctive morphology. The average diameter of nanocomposite was ~ 20 nm, which was identified by high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). Physical properties were also investigated using N 2 -adsorption isotherm study; pore size distribution and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area. Adsorption properties of clay and nanocomposite were calculated and their BET surface area was found to be 9.13 m 2  g − 1 and 23.43 m 2  g − 1 , respectively. Similarly, Langmuir surface area was 13.16 m 2  g − 1 and 33.95 m 2  g − 1 , micropore area was 6.90 m 2  g − 1 and 22.11 m 2  g − 1 and total pore volume was 0.04 cm 3  g − 1 and 0.10 cm 3  g − 1 , respectively.