Submit to IJMS Review for IJMS Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Advanced Applications of Carbon-Based Adsorbents

Print Special Issue Flyer
Special Issue Editors
Special Issue Information
Keywords
Related Special Issue
Published Papers

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Physical Chemistry and Chemical Physics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 January 2023) | Viewed by 12772

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Carlo Crescenzi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, 84084 Salerno, Italy
Interests: supramolecular chemistry; molecular recognition; separation science; graphitic sorbents
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Paolo Ciccioli

E-Mail Website
Co-Guest Editor

Institute of Biological Systems, Italian National Research Council, 00015 Rome, Italy
Interests: physical chemistry of graphitic carbons; enrichment and separation methods for organic pollutants in air; removal of organic contaminants from indoor environments and industrial processes
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Sara Bogialli

E-Mail Website
Co-Guest Editor

Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padua, Padova, Italy
Interests: optimization of sample preparation methods for organic contaminants; liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry; high-resolution mass spectrometry; target and non-target analysis; emerging contaminants in environment

Prof. Dr. Maria Sarno

E-Mail Website
Co-Guest Editor

Department of Physics and Centre NANO_MATES (Research Centre for Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology at the University of Salerno) University of Salerno, 84084 Salerno, Italy
Interests: electron microscopy; nanotechnology; catalysis; electrochemistry; sustainability; circular economy; nanomaterials and carbon materials; energy; environment; nanoelectronics

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Carbon-based adsorbents are a broad class of materials including graphitic and amorphous carbons, and are widely used in different fields such as filtration, electrochemistry, purification and catalysis. However, the complexity of their structure and the variety of interactions occurring during the adsorption process generates a number of unexpected noteworthy chemical-physical phenomena. The deep understanding of these phenomena often results in remarkable unique applications. The aim of this Special Issue is to provide a detailed description of the performances, characteristics, and unclear aspects of the most promising families of carbon-based materials.

The papers for this Special Issue should be focused mainly, although not exclusively, on advanced practical applications of carbon-based adsorbents such as graphitic carbons, graphene, carbon nanotubes, activated carbon fibers, and fullerene-based materials, excluding those obtained with active charcoals, on which a large body of literature is already available. Papers discussing the physical-chemical characterization of carbon-based adsorbents using spectroscopic techniques are also welcome, especially when dealing with those molecular-level interactions affecting performance. Papers dealing with modifications of carbon-based adsorbents (including electrochemical modulation) will also be included, as far as evidence is provided of advantages that their use has in terms of ease of use and economic reward. Emphasis should be given to investigations on those aspects, such as adsorption (either in gas or liquid phases), catalysis, and functionalization processes of carbon-based materials, that can lead to original and challenging applications in various scientific fields, such as advanced materials technologies and environmental, separation, and biological sciences, including more recent applications in space technologies and preventing the spread of coronavirus.

Prof. Dr. Carlo Crescenzi
Dr. Paolo Ciccioli
Prof. Dr. Sara Bogialli
Prof. Dr. Maria Sarno
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

Carbon-based adsorbents
Graphitic carbon materials
Adsorption and catalysis mechanism
Solid-phase extraction
Separation techniques
Spectroscopic characterization

Related Special Issue

Carbon-Based Adsorbents: Working Mechanisms, Applications and New Devices in International Journal of Molecular Sciences (1 article)

Published Papers (6 papers)

Download All Papers

Research

18 pages, 10891 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Polyethylenimine-Crosslinked 3-Aminopropyltriethoxysilane-Grafted Multiwall Carbon Nanotubes for Efficient Adsorption of Reactive Yellow 2 from Water

by Zhuo Wang and Sung Wook Won

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(3), 2954; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24032954 - 03 Feb 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1552

Abstract

This research intended to report amine-functionalized multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) prepared by a simple method for efficient and rapid removal of Reactive Yellow 2 (RY2) from water. EDS analysis showed that the N content increased from 0 to 2.42% and from 2.42 to 8.66% after modification by 3-Aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) and polyethylenimine (PEI), respectively. BET analysis displayed that the specific surface area, average pore size, and total pore volume were reduced from 405.22 to 176.16 m²/g, 39.67 to 6.30 nm, and 4.02 to 0.28 cm³/g, respectively. These results proved that the PEI/APTES-MWCNTs were successfully prepared. pH edge experiments indicated that pH 2 was optimal for RY2 removal. At pH 2 and 25 °C, the time required for adsorption equilibrium was 10, 15, and 180 min at initial concentrations of 50, 100, and 200 mg/L, respectively; and the maximum RY2 uptake calculated by the Langmuir model was 714.29 mg/g. Thermodynamic studies revealed that the adsorption process was spontaneous and endothermic. Moreover, 0–0.1 mol/L of NaCl showed negligible effect on RY2 removal by PEI/APTES-MWCNTs. Five adsorption/desorption cycles confirmed the good reusability of PEI/APTES-MWCNTs in RY2 removal. Overall, the PEI/APTES-MWCNTs are a potential and efficient adsorbent for reactive dye wastewater treatment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Applications of Carbon-Based Adsorbents)

► Show Figures

Graphical abstract

17 pages, 3954 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Microporous Biocarbons Derived from Inonotus obliquus Mushroom and Their Application in the Removal of Liquid and Gaseous Impurities

by Aleksandra Bazan-Wozniak, Judyta Cielecka-Piontek, Agnieszka Nosal-Wiercińska and Robert Pietrzak

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(24), 15788; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms232415788 - 13 Dec 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1354

Abstract

Biocarbons were obtained by physical and chemical activation of the residue of the extraction of chaga fungi (Inonotus obliquus). The residue was subjected to heat treatment carried out in a microwave oven and in a quartz tubular reactor. The materials were characterized by elemental analysis, low-temperature nitrogen adsorption, determination of pH, and the contents of acidic and basic oxygen functional groups on the surface of biocarbons by the Boehm method. The final biocarbon adsorbents have surface areas varying from 521–1004 m²/g. The physical activation of the precursor led to a strongly basic character of the surface. Chemical activation of Inonotus obliquus promoted the generation of acid functional groups. All biocarbons were used for methyl red sodium salt adsorption from the liquid phase. The sorption capacities of biocarbons towards the organic dye studied varied from 77 to 158 mg/g. The Langmuir model was found to better describe the experimental results. The results of the kinetic analysis showed that the adsorption of methyl red sodium salt on the biocarbons followed the pseudo-second-order model. The acidic environment was conducive to the adsorption of the dye on the obtained biocarbons. Moreover, thermodynamic studies confirmed that the organic dye adsorption on the biocarbons was a spontaneous endothermic process. The biocarbons obtained were also tested as adsorbents of hydrogen sulfide in dry and wet conditions. The sorption capacities towards hydrogen sulfide varied in the range of 21.9–77.9 mg. The results have shown that the adsorption of hydrogen sulfide depends on the process conditions and the activation procedure of biocarbons (method of activation and thermochemical treatment of samples). It has been shown that the initial material used can be a new precursor for obtaining cheap and—more importantly—universal bioadsorbents characterized by high effectiveness in the removal of air and water pollutants. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Applications of Carbon-Based Adsorbents)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 3229 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Single-Walled Carbon Nanohorns as Boosting Surface for the Analysis of Low-Molecular-Weight Compounds by SALDI-MS

by Marco Roverso, Roberta Seraglia, Raghav Dogra, Denis Badocco, Silvia Pettenuzzo, Luca Cappellin, Paolo Pastore and Sara Bogialli

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(9), 5027; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23095027 - 30 Apr 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1630

Abstract

Limits of Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry (MS) in the study of small molecules are due to matrix-related interfering species in the low m/z range. Single-walled carbon nanohorns (SWCNH) were here evaluated as a specific surface for the rapid analysis of amino acids and lipids by Surface-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization (SALDI). The method was optimized for detecting twenty amino acids, mainly present as cationized species, with the [M+K]⁺ response generally 2-time larger than the [M+Na]⁺ one. The [M+Na]⁺/[M+K]⁺ signals ratio was tentatively correlated with the molecular weight, dipole moment and binding affinity, to describe the amino acids’ coordination ability. The SWCNH-based surface was also tested for analyzing triglycerides in olive oil samples, showing promising results in determining the percentage composition of fatty acids without any sample treatment. Results indicated that SWCNH is a promising substrate for the SALDI-MS analysis of low molecular weight compounds with different polarities, enlarging the analytical platforms for MALDI applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Applications of Carbon-Based Adsorbents)

► Show Figures

Graphical abstract

11 pages, 1824 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Adsorption of 1,2-Dichlorobenzene from the Aqueous Phase onto Activated Carbons and Modified Carbon Nanotubes

by Martyna Jurkiewicz and Robert Pełech

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(23), 13152; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms222313152 - 05 Dec 2021

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2160

Abstract

This study aimed to describe the adsorption process of ortho-dichlorobenzene (o-DCB) onto activated carbons (ACs) and modified carbon nanotubes (CNTs) from the aqueous phase. The starting material NC_7000 carbon nanotubes were modified by chlorination (NC_C) and then by the introduction of hydroxyl groups (NC_C_B). The concentration of o-DCB in solutions was performed by UV-VIS spectrophotometry. After adsorption, the activated carbons were regenerated by extraction with organic solvents such as acetone, methanol, ethanol, and 1-propanol; the carbon nanotubes were regenerated by methanol. The degree of adsorbate recovery was determined by gas chromatography (GC) with flame ionization detection, using ethylbenzene as an internal standard. The equilibrium isotherm data of adsorption were satisfactorily fitted by the Langmuir equations. The results indicate that carbon adsorbents are effective porous materials for removing o-DCB from the aqueous phase. Additionally, activated carbons are more regenerative adsorbents than carbon nanotubes. The recoveries of o-DCB from ACs were in the range of 76–85%, whereas the recoveries from CNTs were in the range of 23–46%. Modifications of CNTs affect the improvement of their adsorption properties towards o-DCB compared to unmodified CNTs. However, the introduction of new functional groups on carbon nanotube surfaces makes the regeneration process less effective. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Applications of Carbon-Based Adsorbents)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 3489 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Hydrothermal-Freeze-Casting of Poly(amidoamine)-Modified Graphene Aerogels towards CO₂ Adsorption

by Alina Pruna, Alfonso Cárcel, Adolfo Benedito and Enrique Giménez

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(17), 9333; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22179333 - 28 Aug 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2046

Abstract

This article presents novel poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimer-modified with partially-reduced graphene oxide (rGO) aerogels, obtained using the combined solvothermal synthesis-freeze-casting approach. The properties of modified aerogels are investigated with varying synthesis conditions, such as dendrimer generation (G), GO:PAMAM wt. ratio, solvothermal temperature, and freeze-casting rate. Scanning electron microscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy are employed to characterize the aerogels. The results indicate a strong correlation of the synthesis conditions with N content, N/C ratio, and nitrogen contributions in the modified aerogels. Our results show that the best CO₂ adsorption performance was exhibited by the aerogels modified with higher generation (G7) dendrimer at low GO:PAMAM ratio as 2:0.1 mg mL⁻¹ and obtained at higher solvothermal temperature and freeze-casting in liquid nitrogen. The enclosed results are indicative of a viable approach to modify graphene aerogels towards improving the CO₂ capture. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Applications of Carbon-Based Adsorbents)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

26 pages, 10043 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Graphene Oxide Loaded with Protocatechuic Acid and Chlorogenic Acid Dual Drug Nanodelivery System for Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma Therapeutic Application

by Kalaivani Buskaran, Mohd Zobir Hussein, Mohamad Aris Mohd Moklas, Mas Jaffri Masarudin and Sharida Fakurazi

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(11), 5786; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22115786 - 28 May 2021

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 2465

Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma or hepatoma is a primary malignant neoplasm that responsible for 75–90% of all liver cancer in humans. Nanotechnology introduced the dual drug nanodelivery method as one of the initiatives in nanomedicine for cancer therapy. Graphene oxide (GO) loaded with protocatechuic acid (PCA) and chlorogenic acid (CA) have shown some anticancer activities in both passive and active targeting. The physicochemical characterizations for nanocomposites were conducted. Cell cytotoxicity assay and lactate dehydrogenase were conducted to estimate cell cytotoxicity and the severity of cell damage. Next, nanocomposite intracellular drug uptake was analyzed using a transmission electron microscope. The accumulation and localization of fluorescent-labelled nanocomposite in the human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cells were analyzed using a fluorescent microscope. Subsequently, Annexin V- fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)/propidium iodide analysis showed that nanocomposites induced late apoptosis in HepG2 cells. Cell cycle arrest was ascertained at the G2/M phase. There was the depolarization of mitochondrial membrane potential and an upregulation of reactive oxygen species when HepG2 cells were induced by nanocomposites. In conclusion, HepG2 cells treated with a graphene oxide–polyethylene glycol (GOP)–PCA/CA–FA dual drug nanocomposite exhibited significant anticancer activities with less toxicity compared to pristine protocatechuic acid, chlorogenic acid and GOP–PCA/CA nanocomposite, may be due to the utilization of a folic acid-targeting nanodrug delivery system. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Applications of Carbon-Based Adsorbents)

► Show Figures