T. Somanathan

Department of Nanoscience, School of Basic Science, Vels University,
Chennai – 600 117, India

Email: soma_nano(a)yahoo.co.in

Abstract:

CNT application is regarded as extremely promising for the development of novel energy storage techniques, sensors and sorbent materials for myriad uses including waste management. The progress in science and advanced engineering at nanometer scale provides a range of unprecedented opportunities to develop more efficiently (in terms of costs) and ecologically the processes of water purification. However, water purification technology is often complicated, requires sophisticated equipment and is expensive to run and maintain. Moreover, it usually requires a final costly disinfection stage. They explain that toxic trace elements such as arsenic, cadmium, lead, copper, nickel, zinc, chromium and viscous liquid impurities such as oil can be removed using nanotechnology. Vertically-aligned carbon nanotubes possess many advantages for a wide range of multifunctional applications. While many innovative synthetic methods have been developed for controlled growth of vertically-aligned single-walled carbon nanotubes, various interesting physical and chemical approaches have recently been devised for functionalization of the constituent carbon nanotubes in vertically-aligned carbon nanotube arrays with their alignment being largely retained. In this present study we have grown highly dense vertical aligned carbon nanotubes by CVD technique at very low temperature (550 °C). The synthesised materials were used for the removal of heavy toxic metals from nuclear plants.