Preparation of alumina supported on carbon nano-tubes and its application in fluoride adsorption from an aqueous solution

A novel material, alumina supported on carbon nanotubes (Al2O3/CNT), was prepared from carbon nano-tubes and A1(NO3)3. X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectra demonstrate that alumina is amorphous, and scanning electron microscope (SEM) images show that CNT and alumina are homogeneously mixed. Furthermore, the fluoride adsorption behavior on the surface of Al2O3/CNT has been investigated and compared with other adsorbents. The results indicate that Al2O3/CNT has a high adsorption capacity, with a saturation adsorption capacity of 39.4 mg/g. It is also found that the adsorption capacity of Al2O3/CNT is 3.0-4.5 times that of γ-Al2O3 while almost equal to that of IRA-410 polymeric resin at 25°C . The adsorption isotherms of fluoride on Al2O3/CNT fit the Freundlich equation well, and optimal pH ranging from 5.0 to 9.0.