Kinetics and thermodynamic study of aniline adsorption by multi-walled carbon nanotubes from aqueous solution

Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were used in the adsorptive removal of aniline, an organic pollutant, from an aqueous solution. It was found that carbon nanotubes with a higher specific surface area adsorbed and removed more aniline from an aqueous solution. The adsorption was dependent on factors, such as MWCNTs dosage, contact time, aniline concentration, solution pH and temperature. The adsorption study was analyzed kinetically, and the results revealed that the adsorption followed pseudo-second order kinetics with good correlation coefficients. In addition, it was found that the adsorption of aniline occurred in two consecutive steps, including the slow intra-particle diffusion of aniline molecules through the nanotubes. Various thermodynamic parameters, including the Gibbs free energy change (ΔG°), enthalpy change (ΔH°) and entropy change (ΔS°), were calculated. The results indicated that the spontaneity of the adsorption, exothermic nature of the adsorption and the decrease in the randomness reported as ΔG°, ΔH° and ΔS°, respectively, were all negative.