Nano magnetite decorated multiwalled carbon nanotubes: A robust nanomaterial for enhanced carbon dioxide adsorption

It has long been seen as a demanding task to counteract the raised levels of greenhouse gases including carbon dioxide (CO2). Current worldwide research is focused on the investigation of materials which can capture large amounts of CO2 through physical or chemical adsorption. The present work focuses on a high pressure CO2 adsorption study of functionalized MWNTs (f-MWNTs) and a magnetite decorated MWNT nanocomposite. Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) were prepared by a catalytic chemical vapor deposition method followed by purification and functionalization. Magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles were decorated over the f-MWNT surface by a chemical method. The functionalized MWNTs and magnetite decorated MWNTs were characterized by electron microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, Raman spectroscopy and FTIR spectroscopy. The CO2 adsorption capacity was measured using high pressure Sieverts' apparatus. A large enhancement in the CO2 adsorption capacity was achieved by decorating magnetite nanoparticles over the MWNT surface. © 2011 The Royal Society of Chemistry.