Preparation, characterization and evaluation of a hybrid material based on multiwall carbon nanotubes and titanium dioxide for the removal of thorium from aqueous solution

In the present work, a novel adsorbent based on oxidized multiwall carbon nanotubes (ox-MWCNTs) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) has been synthesized and characterized. The obtained result from thermogravimetry analysis shows that the amount of TiO2 inserted on ox-MWCNTs was about 44%. The adsorption behavior of thorium as a functional of initial concentration of thorium, pH, sodium nitrate concentration, adsorbents mass and shaking time was studied. The results showed that thorium adsorption on all the studied materials were strongly dependent on solution pH value, mass adsorbent and independent on sodium ion concentration. The gotten maximum adsorption capacity (qmax) of thorium on ox-MWCNTs, hybrid and TiO2 was observed to be 62.11, 58.15 and 19.30 mg g−1, respectively. This study suggests that hybrid and ox-MWCNTs can be a promising candidate for the removal of thorium from aqueous solution. •The new hybrid material based on titanium dioxide and ox-MWCNTs was synthesized and characterized.•The application of hybrid and its pristine materials was investigated for the removal of thorium ion from aqueous solution.•The results show that hybrid and ox-MWCNTs with high adsorption capacity can be good candidates for the removal of thorium ion from wastewater.