Parallel pore and surface diffusion of levulinic acid in basic polymeric adsorbents

The equilibrium and kinetics of levulinic acid (LA) adsorption on two basic polymeric adsorbents, 335 (highly porous gel) and D315 (macroreticular), were investigated. Experimental adsorption rates in batch stirred vessels under a variety of operating conditions were described successfully by the parallel pore and surface diffusion model taking into account external mass transfer and nonlinear Toth isotherm. The film-pore diffusion model was matched with the rate data and the resulting apparent pore diffusivities were strongly concentration-dependent and approached to a constant value for 335 adsorbent. Thus, the constant value was taken as the accurate pore diffusivity, while the pore diffusivity in D315 was estimated from the particle porosity. The surface diffusivities decreased with increasing initial bulk concentration for both adsorbents. The inverse concentration dependence was correlated reasonably well to the change of isosteric heat of adsorption as amount adsorbed.     

Physical and chemical properties of PAN-derived electrospun activated carbon nanofibers and their potential for use as an adsorbent for toxic industrial chemicals

A recently developed carbon material, electrospun Activated Carbon nanoFiber (ACnF), exhibits strong potential for use as an adsorbent for toxic industrial chemicals (TICs). As-prepared ACnF contains as much as 9.6?wt% nitrogen, creating a basic surface that enhances acid-gas adsorption. ACnF shows 4–20 times greater HCN adsorption capacities and 2–5 times greater SO₂ adsorption capacities in dry nitrogen, compared to commercially available activated carbon fiber cloth (ACFC) and Calgon BPL? granular activated carbon, which are considered here as reference adsorbents. ACnF has 50?% of the micropore volume (0.30?cm³/g) of these reference adsorbents, which limits its adsorption capacity at high concentrations for volatile organic compounds (>500?ppm_v). However, at low concentrations (<500?ppm_v), ACnF has a similar capacity to ACFC and about three times the VOC adsorption capacity of Calgon BPL?. ACnF’s small fiber diameters (0.2–1.5?μm) allow for higher mass transfer coefficients, resulting in adsorption kinetics nearly twice as fast as ACFC and eight times as fast as Calgon BPL?. ACnF drawbacks include hydrophilicity and reduced structural strength. The rapid adsorption kinetics and high capacity for acidic TICs warrant further investigation of ACnF as an adsorbent in respiratory protection and indoor air quality applications.     

Surface Diffusion of Hydrocarbons in Activated Carbon: Comparison Between Constant Molar Flow, Differential Permeation and Differential Adsorption Bed Methods

This paper presents the comparison of surface diffusivities of hydrocarbons in activated carbon. The surface diffusivities are obtained from the analysis of kinetic data collected using three different kinetics methods- the constant molar flow, the differential adsorption bed and the differential permeation methods. In general the values of surface diffusivity obtained by these methods agree with each other, and it is found that the surface diffusivity increases very fast with loading. Such a fast increase can not be accounted for by a thermodynamic Darken factor, and the surface heterogeneity only partially accounts for the fast rise of surface diffusivity versus loading. Surface diffusivities of methane, ethane, propane, n-butane, n-hexane, benzene and ethanol on activated carbon are reported in this paper.     

On the adsorption and diffusion of Methylene Blue in glass fibers

The adsorption and diffusion phenomena of Methylene Blue dye on glass fiber have been explored. Both isotherm and kinetics have been studied. Effect of process parameters such as pH, adsorbent loading, and initial dye concentration was investigated. Temperature had a little effect on adsorption. A diffusion model was developed to estimate the diffusivity of the dye in glass fiber. The diffusivity was found to be varying exponentially with the dye concentration.     

Monte carlo simulation and pore-size distribution analysis of the isosteric heat of adsorption of methane in activated carbon

The isosteric heat of adsorption of methane in an activated carbon adsorbent has been modeled by Monte Carlo simulation, using a pore-size distribution (PSD) to relate simulation results for pores of different sizes to the experimental adsorbent. Excellent fits were obtained between experimental and simulated isosteric heats of adsorption of methane in BPL activated carbon. The PSD was then used to predict the adsorption of methane and ethane in the same carbon adsorbent, with good results. The PSD derived from isosteric heat data was shown to be richer in information than PSDs obtained by the more conventional method of fitting to isotherm data.     

Modelling of solid-liquid adsorption: effects of adsorbent heterogeneity

Effects of adsorbent heterogeneity on the adsorption of cobalt phthalocyanine dye on activated carbon have been studied. Adsorption experiments were carried out by varying the temperature and adsorbent mass in batch adsorbers and, in addition, the adsorbent particle size and fluid flow rate in a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR)-type adsorber in order to investigate the equilibrium and the kinetics of adsorption.The Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), Langmuir with uniform distribution (LUD) and Langmuir-Freundlich equations are able to represent the equilibrium data with similar accuracy within the range of measurements. Reasonably large values of the heterogeneity parameter (2.69–2.86) show that the carbon surface is energetically heterogeneous.A mathematical model that describes the adsorption dynamics, including film-, pore- and concentration-dependent surface diffusion on an energetically and structurally heterogeneous adsorbent, is presented here and fitted to the experimental concentration vs. time curves obtained in the continuously stirred tank adsorber.Structural heterogeneity of the carbon, if not accounted for in the kinetic model, can be responsible for the very strong concentration dependence of the surface diffusion coefficient and for the variation in the parameter D_o with particle size and adsorber porosity as shown in this work.     

Comparative study between a CMS membrane and a CMS adsorbent: Part II. Water vapor adsorption and surface chemistry

The adsorption/desorption equilibria of water vapor in a carbon molecular sieve (CMS) membrane and a commercial CMS adsorbent were determined, exhibiting S-shaped, type V isotherms. The fits of several models found in the literature to the experimental data were evaluated. The results obtained led to the development of a new model accounting for both adsorption and desorption and essentially based on the work of Lagorsse et al. (2005) [15]. Furthermore, the adsorption kinetics was also assessed for both materials and well described by a linear driving force model. The existence of hydrophilic groups responsible for water vapor adsorption in such carbonaceous materials has been related to the surface chemistry by means of X-ray microanalysis and by thermogravimetry. It was concluded from X-ray microanalyses that the carbon membrane presents a lower C/O ratio and is thus more sensitive towards water vapor exposure, as evidenced by the measured water adsorption at lower relative pressures. It was also observed that the diffusion rates are higher for the CMS membrane than for the CMS adsorbent.     

Adsorption of uranium on adsorbents produced from used tires

The present investigation deals with the potential use of adsorbents produced from used tires for the removal of uranium from aqueous solutions. Two different adsorbents were used including char and activated carbon produced from used tires. The surface area was larger on activated carbon. Adsorption experiments were carried out as a function of time, adsorbent concentration, pH and initial concentration of uranium. The adsorption kinetics was found to follow the Lagergren equation. The rate constants of intraparticle diffusion and mass transfer coefficients were calculated. It was shown that the equilibrium data could be fitted by the Langmuir and Freundlich equations. The adsorption of uranium in the presence of diffferent cations were also studied and the results were correlated with the ionic potential of the cations. Results obtained in the study demonstrate that the activated carbon produced from used tires can be considered as an adsorbent that has a commercial potential for uranium removal.     

Modeling gas adsorption and transport in small-pore titanium silicates

Engelhard titanium silicate, ETS-4, is a promising new adsorbent for size-selective separation of mixtures of small gases, a leading industrially important example of which is methane-nitrogen separation. Single component equilibrium and kinetics of oxygen, nitrogen, and methane adsorption in Na-ETS-4 and cation-exchanged Sr-ETS-4, measured in an earlier study over a wide range of temperatures and pressures, are analyzed in this study. The adsorbent crystals were synthesized and pelletized under pressure (without any binder), thus giving rise to a bidispersed pore structure with controlling resistance in the micropores. Change in equilibrium and kinetics of adsorption of the aforementioned gases in Sr-ETS-4 due to pore shrinkage with progressively increasing dehydration temperature has also been investigated. Differential uptakes have been measured at various levels of adsorbate loading, which has allowed the elucidation of the nature of concentration dependence of micropore diffusivity. Both homogeneous and heterogeneous models are examined on the equilibrium data, while a bidispersed pore diffusion model is able to capture the differential uptakes very well. On the basis of chemical potential gradient as the driving force for diffusion, the impact of isotherm models on the concentration dependence of micropore diffusivity is also analyzed. It is shown that pore tailoring at the molecular scale by dehydration can improve the kinetic selectivity of nitrogen over methane in Sr-ETS-4 to a promising level. The models investigated are evaluated to identify essential details necessary to reliably simulate a methane-nitrogen separation process using the promising new Sr-ETS-4 adsorbent.     

NMR Study of the Kinetics of Butane and Hexane Adsorption from Vapor Phase by Porous Glasses

The kinetics of butane and hexane sorption from vapor phase by porous glasses is studied by the pulsed NMR technique. The sorption process is revealed to proceed in two stages: monomolecular adsorption and capillary condensation. The rate of adsorption is limited by the rate of adsorbate transfer to the adsorbent surface, with the latter rate being described by the classical diffusion flux. It is shown that ultramicropores are filled simultaneously with the formation of a monolayer. The relative content of molecules in such pores is estimated. At the stage of monomolecular adsorption and at the initial stage of capillary condensation, when the adsorption proceeds from the vapor phase of butane-hexane or butane-deuterated hexane mixtures, butane molecules are predominantly sorbed and followed by their partial displacement by hexane molecules. The rate of the capillary condensation of butane from the mixture is 15–18-fold lower than that from the vapor phase of butane alone which is explained by a decrease in the gradient of chemical potential. It is shown that, when adsorption occurs from a nonequilibrium butane-hexane mixture, anomalous kinetic curves are observed because the driving force of adsorption changes in the course of establishing equilibrium in the liquid phase.     

Adsorption dynamics of gases and vapors on the nanoporous metal organic framework material Ni2(4,4'-bipyridine)3(NO3)4: guest modification of host sorption behavior

This study combines measurements of the thermodynamics and kinetics of guest sorption with powder X-ray diffraction measurements of the nanoporous metal organic framework adsorbent (host) at different adsorptive (guest) loadings. The adsorption characteristics of nitrogen, argon, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and ethanol and methanol vapors on Ni2(4,4'-bipyridine)3(NO3)4 were studied over a range of temperatures as a function of pressure. Isotherm steps were observed for both carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide adsorption at approximately 10-20% of the total pore volume and at approximately 70% of total pore volume for methanol adsorption. The adsorption kinetics obey a linear driving force (LDF) mass transfer model for adsorption at low surface coverage. At high surface coverage, both methanol and ethanol adsorption follow a combined barrier resistance/diffusion model. The rates of adsorption in the region of both the carbon dioxide and methanol isotherm steps were significantly slower than those observed either before or after the step. X-ray diffraction studies at various methanol loadings showed that the host structure disordered initially but underwent a structural change in the region of the isotherm step. These isotherm steps are ascribed to discrete structural changes in the host adsorbent that are induced by adsorption on different sites. Isotherm steps were not observed for ethanol adsorption, which followed a Langmuir isotherm. Previous X-ray crystallography studies have shown that all the sites are equivalent for ethanol adsorption on Ni2(4,4'-bipyridine)3(NO3)4, with the host structure undergoing a scissoring motion and the space group remaining unchanged during adsorption. The activation energies and preexponential factors for methanol and ethanol adsorption were calculated for each pressure increment at which the linear driving force model was obeyed. There was a good correlation between activation energy and ln(preexponential factor), indicating a compensation effect. The results are discussed in terms of reversible adsorbate/adsorbent (guest/host) structural changes and interactions and the adsorption mechanism. The paper contains the first evidence of specific interactions between guests and functional groups leading to structural change in flexible porous coordination polymer frameworks.     

Amides as a model system of low molar mass algal organic matter. Influence on the adsorption of p-nitrophenol on activated carbon

In this study, the adsorption equilibrium and diffusivity parameters of p-nitrophenol were estimated for water containing different concentrations of secondary amides. Commercial powdered activated carbon was used as an adsorbent. The external mass transfer coefficient (k_f), the surface diffusion coefficient (D_s) and the standard free Gibbs energy were calculated for p-nitrophenol in the presence of different secondary amide concentrations. The analysis established that there are correlations between structural parameters of amides, on the one hand, and diffusion and thermodynamic parameters for p-nitrophenol adsorption process, on the other. It was noticed that voluminous hydrophobic amides decreased the adsorption capacity of p-nitrophenol on activated carbon. On the basis of the results obtained for external mass transfer coefficients, it is assumed that amides cause the reduction of adsorption capacity of p-nitrophenol onto activated carbon by concentrating at the solid/liquid interface.     

Frequency Response Method for Measuring Mass Transfer Rates in Adsorbents via Pressure Perturbation

A new apparatus for the measurement of equilibria and dynamics for gas-phase adsorption systems is utilized to examine the adsorption of carbon dioxide on BPL activated carbon. The apparatus has a flow-through configuration. For dynamics, with constant inlet flow, pressure within the adsorbent-containing section is varied sinusoidally, and the time-dependent outlet flow rate is measured to determine an amplitude ratio and phase lag. Studies are made of temperature effects and particle size effects. Results are compared with several mathematical models. Frequency response data show that the BPL system follows surface (or micropore) diffusion kinetics. The rate of adsorption for the activated carbon is found to be only weakly dependent on the bulk particle size.     

Comparative analysis of methods for determination of structural characteristics of carbon adsorbents

Experimental data on the equilibrium adsorption of sulfur hexafluoride, methane, carbon dioxide, and benzene on carbon adsorbents of different porosity obtained in a wide pressure range at 298–408 K were analyzed. The adsorption volumes, surface areas, and sizes of slit-shaped pores of the carbons were determined using several independent methods. A method for determination of the adsorption volume from the experimental isotherm of excessive adsorption of gases and the total content equation was proposed. The resulting values are similar to the adsorption volumes calculated from the data for vapors. A new method for the calculation of the adsorbent surface area is described. The method is based on the dependence of the adsorption volume of adsorbent pores on the effective size of adsorbate molecules. A possibility to determine the average size of narrow slit-shaped carbon pores from the difference of the initial heats of adsorption of the gas under study on the carbon black and porous carbon adsorbent is considered. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 10, pp. 2219–2227, October, 2005.     

Water treatment: functional nanomaterials and applications from adsorption to photodegradation

Global efforts for engineering desired materials which are able to treat the water sources still are ongoing in the bench level methods. Considering adsorbent and photocatalytic materials as the main reliable candidates still are encountering with struggles because of many challenges that restrict their large-scale application. This review comprehensively considered the recent advanced materials water treatment methods which involve to magnetic, activated carbon, carbon nanotubes (CNTs), graphene (G), graphene oxide (GO), (Graphene) quantum dots, carbon nanorods, carbon nano-onions, and reduced graphene oxide (RGO), zeolite, silica and clay-based nanomaterials. The adsorption and photocatalytic properties of these nanomaterials introduced them as highly potent option for heavy metal ions and organic dyes removal and photocatalytic degradation. High specific surface area in conjugation with presenting higher kinetics of adsorption and decomposition are the main characteristics of these materials which make them appropriate to treat wastewater even in ultralow concentration of the pollutants. Considering the mechanistic aspects of the adsorption and photocatalytic decomposition process, challenges and opportunities were other subjects that have been highlighted for the discussed nanomaterials. In term of the adsorption approaches, the mechanism of adsorptions and their influence on the maximum adsorption capacity were discussed and also for photocatalyst approach the radical active spices and their role in kinetic and efficiency of the organic pollutant decomposition were provided a deep discussion.     

ND-100超高交联吸附树脂对水中苯酚的吸附行为研究

通过静态吸附试验，研究了ND－100超高交联树脂对水溶液中苯酚的吸附动力学和热力学特性，探讨了初始浓度对吸附过程的影响。结果表明 ND－100树脂对苯酚的吸附速率同时受液膜扩散和颗粒内扩散过程控制。吸附符合Langmuir和Freundlich等温吸附方程，吸附量随着温度的升高而降低，随着平衡浓度的增大而增大，吸附表现为放热的物理吸附过程。     

Measurement of Adsorption Isotherm of Methanol on a Humidified Active Carbon by the Dynamic Method

Elution dynamics of the adsorption of methanol vapors on humidified active carbon is studied. Elution curves are obtained for the various lengths of adsorbent layer. The isotherm of adsorption of methanol–water vapor mixtures on active carbon is calculated, using the model of the equilibrium adsorption layer.     

Using near-infrared spectroscopy and differential adsorption bed method to study adsorption kinetics of orthoxylene on silica gel

This paper has demonstrated the study on the adsorption kinetics of orthoxylene on silica gel with a novel experimental methodology. In the method, there was a differential adsorption bed (DAB) where the solid adsorbent always contacted with the same bulk concentration of the adsorbate vapor, and the DAB was monitored with near-infrared diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (NIRDRS) continuously as well as non-invasively. Local partial least squares (PLS) algorithm was suggested to replace normal global PLS method in multivariate calibration models for processing NIRDRS data, because the concentration of the adsorbate on the adsorbent varied greatly as the adsorption process was going on. In this way, we, conveniently as well as promptly, obtained instantaneous adsorption rates of several orthoxylene/silica gel adsorption processes under different conditions like partial pressure of orthoxylene vapor and velocity of gas, and discovered that the adsorption process was physical adsorption, and mainly controlled by external diffusion.     

Contribution of concentration-dependent surface diffusion in ternary adsorption kinetics of ethane, propane and n-butane in activated carbon

The role of concentration-dependent surface diffusion in the adsorption kinetics of a multicomponent system is investigated in this paper. Ethane, propane and n-butane are selected as the model adsorbates and Ajax activated carbon as the model adsorbent. Adsorption equilibrium isotherm and dynamic parameters extracted from single-component systems are used to predict the ternary adsorption equilibria and kinetics. The effect of concentration-dependent surface diffusion on the adsorption kinetics predictions is studied by comparing the results of two mathematical models with the experimental data. Three diffusion mechanisms, macropore, surface and micropore diffusions are incorporated in both models. The distinction between these two models is the use of the chemical potential gradient as the driving force for the diffusion of the adsorbed species in one model and the concentration gradient in the other. It was found that the model using the chemical potential gradient provides a better prediction of the ternary adsorption kinetics data, suggesting the importance of the concentration dependency of the surface diffusion, which is implicitly reflected in the chemical potential gradient. The kinetic model predictions are also affected by the way how single-component adsorption equilibrium isotherm data are fitted.     

Kinetic modeling of liquid-phase adsorption of reactive dyes on activated carbon

In this paper, adsorption equilibrium and kinetics of three reactive dyes from their single-component aqueous solutions onto activated carbon were studied in a batch reactor. Effects of the initial concentration and adsorbent particle size on adsorption rate were investigated Adsorption equilibrium data were then correlated with several well-known equilibrium isotherm models. The kinetic data were fitted using the pseudo-first-order equation, the pseudo-second-order equation, and the intraparticle diffusion model. The respective characteristic rate constants were presented. A new adsorption rate model based on the pseudo-first-order equation has been proposed to describe the experimental data over the whole adsorption process. The results show that the modified pseudo-first-order kinetic model generates the best agreement with the experimental data for the three single-component adsorption systems.