Carbon dioxide adsorption on carbon nanomaterials

The adsorption of CO₂ on a number of activated carbons, thermal carbon black, and oxide materials at 195 K was studied using static and dynamic techniques. The landing surface areas ω(CO₂) ≈ 0.19 nm² on thermal carbon black and the absolute values of sorption for P/P ₀ < 0.4 were determined. The density of adsorbed CO₂ in the micropore volume was estimated at ρ(CO₂) = 0.91 g/cm³. It was demonstrated that the previously found effect of a weakening of the sorption interaction of nitrogen molecules with thin-walled materials (which manifested itself in an analysis of sorption isotherms by a comparative method) was pronounced to a lesser degree for the sorption of CO₂. At the same time, the presence of supermicropores in activated carbon samples resulted in overestimated values of surface areas. A dynamic method was proposed to measure the spectra of CO₂ desorption at 195–260 K using a SORBI-MS system for evaluating the binding energy of sorbate molecules with the surface.     

Carbon dioxide-methane mixture adsorption on activated carbon

In this work, we report new experimental data of pure and binary adsorption equilibria of carbon dioxide and methane on the activated carbon RB2 at 273 and 298 K. The pressure range studied were 0–3.5 MPa for pure gases and 0–0.1 MPa for mixtures. The combination of the generalized Dubinin model to describe the pure CO₂ and CH₄ isotherms with the IAST (Ideal Adsorbed Solution Theory) for the mixtures provide a method for the calculation of the binary adsorption equilibria. This formulation predicts with acceptable accuracy the binary adsorption data and can easily be integrated in general dynamic simulation of PSA (pressure swing adsorption process) adsorption columns. It involves only three parameters, independent of the temperature, and directly determined with only one adsorption isotherm of CO₂.     

甲烷在活性炭上吸附平衡模型的研究

比较吸附模型分析甲烷在活性炭上吸附平衡的适用性,为吸附式天然气(ANG)的工程应用提供准确的预测模型。基于在温度268.15～338.15 K、压力0～12.5 MPa测试的甲烷在Ajax活性炭上的吸附平衡数据,选择Langmuir、Langmuir-Freundlich和Toth方程,应用非线性回归拟合方程参数后,确定绝对吸附量和甲烷吸附相态,并比较方程在不同压力区域内的预测精度。结果表明,甲烷吸附相密度随平衡温度和压力变化;由绝对吸附量确定的甲烷在Ajax活性炭上的平均等量吸附热为15.72 kJ/mol,小于由过剩吸附量的标绘结果;Langmuir、Langmuir-Freundlich和Toth方程预测结果在0～0.025 MPa的累积相对误差为6.449 8%、7.918 4%和0.910 0%,在1～10 MPa为0.491 1%、0.161 3%和0.369 4%。Toth方程在整个压力范围内的预测结果最为准确,但Langmuir-Freundlich方程在较高压力区域内具有较高的预测精度。     

Endothermic character of toluene adsorption from supercritical carbon dioxide on activated carbon at low coverage

Recasens, P., Velo, E., Larrayoz, M.A. and Puiggené, J., 1993. Endothermic character of toluene adsorption from supercritical carbon dioxide on activated carbon at low coverage. Fluid Phase Equilibria, 90: 265-287.

Heat effects and volumetric properties are analyzed for the adsorption of toluene from supercritical carbon dioxide onto activated carbon at the limit of zero coverage, based on existing data for the system. Using values of the adsorption equilibrium constant at different temperatures as a function of fluid density, large, negative partial molar volumes for toluene in the fluid were obtained, which were previously unavailable.

Numerical integration of the differential equation that expresses the isobaric temperature dependence of the equilibrium constant, coupled with parameter optimization, enabled us to estimate the differential enthalpy of toluene adsorption onto the surface from the ideal gas at the same pressure and temperature, in addition to the enthalpy of transfer from the fluid to the surface. This is found to be large and positive near the critical conditions. Using the thermodynamic analysis of Kelley and Chimowitz, our results show that in terms of the enthalpy of transfer, the isothermal adsorption from a supercritical fluid is an endothermic process, thus explaining the retrograde behavior experimentally observed for the regeneration of carbon with supercritical CO₂ at conditions not far from the solvent's critical point.     

Carbon deposition in methane reforming with carbon dioxide

Coke formation in the dry reforming of methane was studied using a thermobalance (TG) and with a catalytic microreactor in the temperature range 800–950 K. Silica-supported and lanthana-supported nickel catalysts were examined. The effects of process variables such as temperature and gas composition (He dilution, CH₄/CO₂ ratio) on the coke formation rate were determined. The reactivity of H₂ on several kinds of carbon was also investigated. The morphology of the coke was studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The induction times for coke formation were significantly affected by temperature and by the CO content in the feed gas. The results of catalytic tests were consistent with the TG measurements. The behaviour of SiO₂ and La₂O₃ supported Ni catalysts agree with a mechanism in which the lanthana support plays an important role in the carbon deposition.     

Carbon dioxide adsorption on the microporous ACC carbon adsorbent

Adsorption isotherms of carbon dioxide on the microporous ACC carbon adsorbent and the adsorption deformation of the adsorbent were measured. The heats of adsorption at temperatures raising from 243 to 393 K and pressures from 1 to 5⋅10⁶ Pa were measured. In the low-temperature region (243 K), an increase in the amount adsorbed is accompanied by adsorbent contraction, and at high micropore fillings (a > 10 mmol g⁻¹) the ACC carbon adsorbent expands. At high temperatures, adsorbent expansion is observed in the whole region of micropore filling. At 243 K in the low filling region (a < 1 mmol g⁻¹), the heat of adsorption decreases smoothly from 27 to 24 kJ mol⁻¹. The heat of adsorption remains virtually unchanged in the interval 2 mmol g⁻¹ < a < 11 mmol g⁻¹ and then decreases to 8 kJ mol⁻¹ at a = 12 mmol g⁻¹. Taking into account the nonideal character of the gas phase and adsorbent deformation the heats of adsorption are strongly temperature-dependent in a region of high pressures. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 6, pp. 1331–1335, June, 2005.     

Low-temperature catalytic adsorption of NO on activated carbon materials

The catalytic adsorption of NO on activated carbon materials provides an appropriated alternative for the control of low-concentration emissions of this air pollutant. The surface complexes formed upon NO adsorption at 30 degrees C were studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and temperature-programmed desorption (TPD). The effects of the addition of O2 and the presence of copper as a catalyst were studied. Copper assisted the oxygen transfer to the carbon matrix. For the Cu-impregnated carbon sample, the presence of O2 favored NO adsorption by increasing the breakthrough time, the adsorption capacity, and the formation of nitrogen and oxygen complexes of higher thermal stabilities, which mainly desorbed as NO and CO2.     

Fixed-bed adsorption of carbon dioxide/methane mixtures on silicalite pellets

The adsorption of carbon dioxide and methane on silicalite pellets packed on a fixed bed has been studied. Equilibrium and kinetic measurements of the adsorption of carbon dioxide and methane have been performed, and a binary adsorption isotherm for carbon dioxide/methane mixtures has been obtained. A model based on the LDF approximation for the mass transfer has been used to describe the breakthrough curves obtained experimentally. A PSA cycle has been proposed for obtaining methane with purity higher than 98% from carbon dioxide/methane mixtures containing 38% and 50% methane, and its performance has been simulated using the proposed model. The simulation results show that silicalite can be a suitable adsorbent for employment in a PSA separation process for carbon dioxide removal from coalseam and landfill gases.     

Separation of carbon dioxide/methane mixtures by adsorption on a basic resin

In this work, the separation of carbon dioxide/methane mixtures by PSA using a basic resin (Amberlite IRA-900) has been studied. Adsorption equilibrium and kinetics of carbon dioxide and methane on a fixed-bed of this adsorbent have been measured, and a binary adsorption equilibrium isotherm has been obtained. The adsorbent deactivation with the number of adsorption-desorption cycles, and its regeneration, have also been analysed. A model based on the LDF approximation has been used to describe the experimental breakthrough curves. The applicability of the basic resin to the separation of carbon dioxide/methane mixtures has been studied in an experimental PSA setup using a single bed. The validity of the model used in the fixed-bed study for simulating a PSA system has been checked by comparing the simulated and the experimental performance of the proposed PSA cycle.     

A fully consistent experimental and molecular simulation study of methane adsorption on activated carbon

The adsorption of pure methane in activated carbon Ecosorb was studied by combining grand canonical ensemble Monte Carlo molecular simulations and an experimental approach based on a gravimetric device. Experimental and calculated adsorption isotherms of methane were determined in supercritical conditions at 303.15 and 353.15 K and pressures up to 10 MPa. The comparison between both experimental and estimated data proves the consistency of the methodology used in this work, starting from the characterization of the porous media in terms of pore size distribution, the determination of the experimental adsorption isotherms, and the final estimation of computational results through estimated isotherms determination. Moreover, additional differential enthalpy of adsorption calculations were compared with experimental values obtained by means of a manometric/calorimetric technique. The good agreement shows the strength and the originality of this paper by combining experimental and computational homemade results allowing a complete characterization of the activated carbon substrate and its methane storage capacity.     

甲烷在石墨化热解碳黑和活性炭上的吸附

为研究影响碳基吸附剂吸附超临界温度气体的主要因素,选择石墨化热解碳黑BP280和Ajax活性炭,分析超临界温度高压甲烷在其上的吸附平衡。应用容积法,在压力0~20.5 MPa、温度253 K~313 K测定甲烷的吸附平衡数据,并由等量吸附线标绘和亨利定律常数确定等量吸附热。引入通用吸附等温方程,再由方程的Langmuir标绘确定最大吸附容量,进而通过方程的线性化计算吸附平衡态中甲烷分子的作用能。结果表明,甲烷在两种吸附剂上的最大吸附容量均随温度而变化,并都小于液态甲烷的密度;甲烷在碳黑和活性炭上的等量吸附热分别为11.9 kJ/mol~12.5 kJ/mol和17.5 kJ/mol~22.5 kJ/mol,体现了两种吸附剂不同的表面能量分布;甲烷分子间作用能随吸附量的变化特点反映了超临界温度甲烷以类似于压缩气体状态聚集的特点和吸附剂结构上的差异。碳基吸附剂的比表面积和微孔容积是影响其储存甲烷容量的重要因素。     

Heats of adsorption and adsorption heterogeneity for methane, ethane, and carbon dioxide in MCM-41

We report the adsorption isotherms and the isosteric heats of adsorption of pure methane, ethane, and CO2 and a mixture of methane and CO2 in the periodic mesoporous silica MCM-41 using a multicomponent adsorption calorimeter of the Tian-Calvet type, looking in particular at the degree of heterogeneity in the adsorption of these species. The adsorption of methane and ethane in MCM-41 was found to be essentially homogeneous, while the adsorption of pure CO2 and of CO2 from a CO2/methane mixture was found to be significantly heterogeneous, reflecting the electrostatic interactions between CO2 and the adsorbent.     

Melting curve and fluid equation of state of carbon dioxide at high pressure and high temperature

The melting curve and fluid equation of state of carbon dioxide have been determined under high pressure in a resistively heated diamond anvil cell. The melting line was determined from room temperature up to 11.1+/-0.1 GPa and 800+/-5 K by visual observation of the solid-fluid equilibrium and in situ measurements of pressure and temperature. Raman spectroscopy was used to identify the solid phase in equilibrium with the melt, showing that solid I is the stable phase along the melting curve in the probed range. Interferometric and Brillouin scattering experiments were conducted to determine the refractive index and sound velocity of the fluid phase. A dispersion of the sound velocity between ultrasonic and Brillouin frequencies is evidenced and could be reproduced by postulating the presence of a thermal relaxation process. The Brillouin sound velocities were then transformed to thermodynamic values in order to calculate the equation of state of fluid CO2. An analytic formulation of the density with respect to pressure and temperature is proposed, suitable in the P-T range of 0.1-8 GPa and 300-700 K and accurate within 2%. Our results show that the fluid above 500 K is less compressible than predicted from various phenomenological models.     

Benzene and toluene adsorption at low concentration on activated carbon fibres

The present study analyses the preparation of activated carbon fibres (ACFs) by the so-called “physical” activation method with steam or carbon dioxide and their application for benzene and toluene adsorption at low concentration (200 ppmv). ACFs have been scarcely studied for the adsorption of these pollutants at low concentration in gaseous phase, despite their interesting features regarding adsorption kinetics, bed pressure drop, possibility of conformation and others. Our results have shown that the preparation method used is suitable to produce ACFs with high adsorption capacities for benzene and toluene at the low concentration used. The fibre morphology of the ACFs does not enhance their performance, which results to be similar to other non-fibrous activated carbons such as granular, pellets and powders. Such good performance of the ACFs, leading to benzene and toluene adsorption capacities as large as 31 g benzene/100 g ACF or 53 g toluene/100 g ACF, can be explained due to their large volume of narrow micropores (<0.7 nm) developed upon activation and their low content in surface oxygen groups. Our results have also shown very good agreement between the adsorption results derived from dynamic adsorption experiments and from adsorption isotherms. As the relative pressure of the organic compound increases the corresponding fraction of narrow micropore volumes filled by benzene and toluene increases. For a given low and comparable relative pressure, toluene always occupies a larger fraction of narrow micropores than benzene.     

Energetics of methane adsorption on microporous activated carbons

The influence of microporous carbon surface oxidation on energetics of methane adsorption at 308 K is discussed. Obtained adsorption heats and integral molar entropies of the adsorbate show that microporous carbon surface oxidation changes the methane adsorption process. This is probably resulted by the existence of an endothermic effect during adsorption in oxidized carbon micropores.     

Vapour-liquid equilibrium at high pressure in the system containing carbon dioxide and propyl acetate

Wagner Z.: Vapour-liquid equilibrium at high pressure in the system containing carbon dioxide and propyl acetate.

Vapour-liquid equilibrium data in the carbon dioxide---propyl acetate system were measured isothermally at 303.15 K, 313.15 K, and 323.15 K at pressures ranging from 2 MPa to 9 MPa. The experimental data were fitted to the Soave-Redlich-Kwong equation of state in the modification of Graboski and Daubert with the mixing rules developed by Kwak and Mansoori. Maximum likelihood procedure was adopted and all variables were assumed to be subject to errors.     

Molecular simulation of carbon dioxide/methane/hydrogen mixture adsorption in metal-organic frameworks

This work performs a systematic computational study toward a molecular understanding of the separation characteristics of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), for which the purification of synthetic gas by two representative MOFs, MOF-5 and Cu-BTC, is adopted as an example. The simulations show that both geometry and pore size affect largely the separation efficiency, complex selectivity behaviors with different steps can occur in MOFs, and the electrostatic interactions that exist can enhance greatly the separation efficiency of gas mixtures composed of components with different chemistries. Furthermore, the macroscopic separation behaviors of the MOF materials are elucidated at a molecular level to give insight into the underlying mechanisms. The findings as well as the molecular-level elucidations provide useful microscopic information toward a complete understanding of the separation characteristics of MOFs that may lead to general design strategies for synthesizing new MOFs with tailored properties, as well as guiding their practical applications.     

Preparation of activated carbon with high surface area for high-capacity methane storage

Activated carbon （AC） was fabricated from corncob, which is cheap and abundant. Experimental parameters such as particle size of corncob, KOHlchar weight ratio, and activation temperature and time were optimized to generate AC, which shows high methane sorption capacity. AC has high specific surface area （3227 m^2/g）, with pore volume and pore size distribution equal to 1.829 cm^3/g and ca. 1.7-2.2 nm, respectively. Under the condition of 2℃ and less than 7.8 MPa, methane sorption in the presence of water （Rw = 1.4） was as high as 43.7 wt% methane per unit mass of dry AC. The result is significantly higher than those of coconut-derived AC （32 wt%） and ordered mesoporous carbon （41.2 wt%, Rw = 4.07） under the same condition. The physical properties and amorphous chaotic structure of AC were characterized by N2 adsorption isotherms, XRD, SEM and HRTEM. Hence, the corncob-derived AC can be considered as a competitive methane-storage material for vehicles, which are run by natural gas.

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