SO2 adsorption capacity of K2CO3-impregnated activated carbon as a function of K2CO3 content loaded by soaking and incipient wetness

The SO₂ adsorption capacity of K₂CO₃-impregnated activated carbons, prepared by soaking carbon in large volumes of K₂CO₃ in solution of various concentrations, varies linearly with respect to the loading of K₂CO₃ on the carbon up to about 12% K₂CO₃ by weight. Above 12%, the capacity for SO₂ levels out and then decreases. This suggests that at high loadings the K₂CO₃ either aggregates and/or blocks pores of the activated carbon. In contrast, the adsorption capacity of carbons prepared by repeatedly (maximum of three times total) loading K₂CO₃ via incipient wetness is much larger than that of the soaked samples, up to 70% more, when the loading of K₂CO₃ is greater than 12%. Static and dynamic adsorption, DSC, SEM, EDX and incipient wetness studies of the samples show that the impregnant aggregates but does not block carbon pores.