ROLE OF AGGREGATION IN THE ADSORPTION BEHAVIORS OF CARBON NANOTUBES

摘要

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs), as newly emerging nanomaterials, have been examined for various applications in many fields due to their unique structures and outstanding mechanical, optical, and electronic properties. However, due to their nanosize, CNTs can enter into cells and cause damage to plants, animals and humans (Oberdorster et al. 2005). In addition, owing to their strong adsorption affinities for organic chemicals, the fate and transport of organic contaminants can be significantly changed by the release of CNTs into the environment (Colvin 2003). On the other hand, due to the strong van der Waals forces along the length axis, CNTs are prone to aggregate. Consequently, the availability of adsorption sites for organic chemicals is highly dependent on the aggregation of CNTs. Therefore, a fundamental understanding of the aggregation and adsorption properties of CNTs is critical for assessing the environmental risk of these nanomaterials and for evaluating their potential use in water/wastewater treatment and environmental remediation applications.