Study of MWCNTs adsorption performances in gas processes

•Multi walled carbon nanotubes for carbon capture.•Fully reversible carbon dioxide, methane and nitrogen storage at ambient condition.•Simple, cheap and effective synthesis process.•Suitable for purification processes.

Carbon nanotubes are very interesting materials, with a wide range of applications. Their use as adsorbents represents a method of gas purification which can find various applications; an example is the industrial processes for the production of methane (CH4), where the purification of the same from the carbon dioxide (CO2) and/or nitrogen (N2) has always been one of the main objectives. In this work, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) produced through a process of catalytic chemical vapor deposition (CCVD) are analyzed in view of this application. For this reason, the initial physical–chemical properties of the as-made, purified and oxidized CNTs, together with CH4, N2 and CO2 adsorption/desorption tests at room temperature, have been considered to optimize the best material and the best operative condition for a potential application in adsorption and/or purification processes.

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