Facile preparation of glucose functionalized multi-wall carbon nanotubes and its application for the removal of cationic pollutants

• Glucose functionalized multi-wall carbon nanotubes adsorbent (MWCNT/Gl) was prepared.
• MWCNT/Gl has desirable adsorption efficiency (99.8%) for cationic dye RhB.
• The adsorption kinetic and isotherm models were investigated.

Glucose functionalized multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT/Gl) composites adsorbent was prepared. Adsorption characteristic of MWCNT/Gl was applied to deal with wastewater solution containing rhodamine B (RhB), methylene blue (MB), methyl orange (MO), malachite green (MG) and congo red (CR). The effects of adsorbent dosage, dye species, pH and contact time were conducted, and the adsorption kinetic and isotherm of adsorption process were investigated. The results indicate that MWCNT/Gl has desirable adsorption efficiency for cationic dyes. Especially for RhB, the adsorption efficiency achieves 99.8%. Kinetic data was well fitted by pseudo second-order model, and the equilibrium data were fitted by Langmuir isotherm model.