Influence of functional groups on desorption of organic compounds from carbon nanotubes into water: insight into desorption hysteresis.

Adsorption-desorption of nitrobenzenes, phenols, and anilines on five multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) with different degrees of surface oxidation were investigated to examine the influence of functional groups of both organic chemicals and CNTs on desorption hysteresis. Desorption hysteresis was not observed for nitrobenzenes, phenols, and 4-nitroaniline from all MWCNTs. Significant desorption hysteresis was observed for aniline and 4-methylaniline on surface-oxidized MWCNTs but not on unoxidized MWCNTs. Formation of an irreversible amide bond (i.e.,-CONH-) by amidation reaction of amino group of anilines with oxygen-containing groups (i.e., carboxyl or lactonic groups) on MWCNTs was observed. We proposed that desorption hysteresis could be attributed to the immobilization of organic compounds on the surface of CNTs resulting from the irreversible chemical reaction/binding. The irreversible chemical immobilization is compound functional group selective and dependent on the surface oxygen-containing groups of CNTs. Hysteresis index (HI) values of aniline or 4-methylaniline on MWCNTs increased with the amounts of oxygen-containing groups on MWCNTs. Moreover, HI values of anilines on a given oxidized MWCNT followed an order of 4-nitroaniline < 4-chloroaniline < aniline < 4-methylaniline.