Polypyrrole coated oxidized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (oMWCNT/Ppy) were applied to determine the adsorption characteristics of Pb(II) and Cu(II) from their aqueous solutions. Structural and morphological characterization studies using scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, Fourier transform infrared and Raman spectroscopy showed successful preparation of the oMWCNT/Ppy composite. The influence of pH, contact time, and initial metal ion concentration on the adsorption of Pb(II) and Cu(II) was studied. The adsorption processes fitted well with Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetic models. The maximum adsorption capacities for Pb(II) and Cu(II) were determined as 26.32 and 24.39 mg/g, respectively. Desorption studies indicated that the oMWCNT/Ppy composite could be reused for five cycles with minimum loss of its initial adsorption capacity.

The combination of powder metallurgy and ball milling method has been widely regarded as the most beneficial route for producing multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs)-reinforced aluminum matrix composites. In this study, the effects of different milling times (1, 2, 4, and 8 h) on the structural, morphological, and crystallographic properties of MWCNTs-reinforced Al7075 composite powders were characterized by particle size analyzer, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). After the morphological and structural characterization of the milled powders, the microstructural and mechanical properties of the hot-pressed composites were evaluated using an optical microscope, SEM, density, and Brinell hardness measurements. Considering milled powder characterization, the MWCNTs were gradually distributed and embedded within the matrix as the milling time increased. Milling for 8 h resulted in a minimum level of particle size (11 µm) with shortened and uniformly dispersed CNTs. Brinell hardness of the composite increased from 91 to 237 HB -a ⁓%160 after 8 h of milling. Such a remarkable increment in hardness could be attributed to several concurrent strengthening effects related to dispersion, solution, grain refinement, and Orowan looping mechanisms. However, relative density results revealed that the composite produced by 2 h milled powders exhibited the highest density (%99.96). The observed differences between hardness and density results were ascribed to powders’ deteriorated packing and sintering behavior due to an increment in the hardness of particles and variation in particle size range and morphology, which resulted from following different milling protocols.