Ultrasound-Assisted Surface Modification of MWCNT Using Organic Acids

In the present work, multiple-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were surface modified in an environmentally friendly way, using low-frequency ultrasonic energy. This type of modification was carried-out using two different types of organic acids, citric acid (CA) and oxalic acid (OA). The modification of the MWCNTs was confirmed by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), where functional groups such as OH, C=O, O–C=O and COOH were detected. By means of Raman spectroscopy, an increase in carbon surface defects was found. On the other hand, using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), oxidation was evidenced on the surface of the modified MWCNT. In both Raman spectroscopy and XPS, the results indicate a greater modification when CA is used, possibly due to the fact that CA has a larger number of functional groups. MWCNT-CA showed good dispersion in methanol, while MWCNT-OA showed good stability in methanol and ethanol. Finally, a 20% removal of creatinine efficiency improvement was found with respect to the unmodified MWCNTs, while no improvement was found in the case of urea and uric acid.