Hybrid polyvinyl alcohol/polyvinyl chloride nanocomposites reinforced with graphene-carbon nanotube for acid red environmental treatments

Hybrid polyvinyl alcohol and polyvinyl chloride/graphene and carbon nanotube nanocomposites PVA-PVC/Gr-CNTs(a-e)were successfully synthesized by a solution-casting method. Mixed Gr-CNTs ratio (50%:50%) was prepared in 2, 5, 10, 15, and 20 wt% and added to the host polymers (PVA/PVC). The characterization tools for the fabricated nanocomposites show homogenous interaction between the fillers and PVA/PVC polymer matrix. A significant improvement in the thermal properties of the (PVA/PVC) matrix was observed by adding mixed fillers, even at low loadings of mixed Gr-CNTs on to the matrix. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy images of the prepared composites show a good dispersion of PVA-PVC and mixed Gr-CNTs and present core-shell morphology. Impressive improvement in the percentage of acid red removal using PVA-PVC/Gr-CNTs(a-e)was achieved and improved with time, solution temperature, and composites mass. The process of removing acid red was described kinetically and thermodynamically. The pseudo-second-order kinetic model is the most appropriate kinetic model to describe the adsorption of acid red by PVA-PVC and PVA-PVC/Gr-CNTs(d)nanocomposites from an aqueous solution. Our results offer a facile method for the removal of acid red from three types of water: red sea, tap water, and distilled water.