High-resolution adsorption of nitrogen on mesoporous alumina

Nitrogen adsorption isotherms on organized mesoporous aluminas prepared by several different synthesis procedures were analyzed by means of comparative plot method using Aluminiumoxid C (Degussa) and alpha-alumina as reference adsorbents. To secure the high-resolution ability of this method, all the adsorption measurements were carefully performed in a relative pressure range from 10(-6) to 0.99. Although some samples of organized mesoporous alumina were treated at temperatures up to 1000 degrees C, only the Aluminiumoxid C has proved to be suitable as a reference adsorbent. The comparative analysis of isotherms on activated aluminas has shown that this method allows the determination of very small amounts of microporosity. The standard nitrogen adsorption data for Aluminiumoxid C and alpha-alumina are presented in a tabulated form, which consists of 91 points for each adsorbent.     

Infrared study of nitrogen adsorption on alumina

Good agreement of the results of numerical calculations with experimental data shows that the simple representation of a Lewis acid site of an alumina surface as a positive point charge plus van der Waals interaction can describe some characteristics of its interaction with a nitrogen molecule.     

Interface chemistry of nanostructured materials: ion adsorption on mesoporous alumina

This paper presents a part of our work on understanding the effect of nanoscale pore space confinement on ion sorption by mesoporous materials. Acid-base titration experiments were performed on both mesoporous alumina and alumina particles under various ionic strengths. The point of zero charge (PZC) for mesoporous alumina was measured to be approximately 9.1, similar to that for nonmesoporous alumina materials, indicating that nanoscale pore space confinement does not have a significant effect on the PZC of pore surfaces. However, for a given pH deviation from the PZC, (pH-PZC), the surface charge per mass on mesoporous alumina was as much as 45 times higher than that on alumina particles. This difference cannot be fully explained by the surface area difference between the two materials. Our titration data have demonstrated that nanoscale confinement has a significant effect, most likely via the overlap of the electric double layer (EDL), on ion sorption onto mesopore surfaces. This effect cannot be adequately modeled by existing surface complexation models, which were developed mostly for an unconfined solid-water interface. Our titration data have also indicated that the rate of ion uptake by mesoporous alumina is relatively slow, probably due to diffusion into mesopores, and complete equilibration for sorption could take 4-5 min. A molecular simulation using a density functional theory was performed to calculate ion adsorption coefficients as a function of pore size. The calculation has shown that as pore size is reduced to nanoscales (<10 nm), the adsorption coefficients of ions can vary by more than two orders of magnitude relative to those for unconfined interfaces. The prediction is supported by our experimental data on Zn sorption onto mesoporous alumina. Owing to their unique surface chemistry, mesoporous materials can potentially be used as effective ion adsorbents for separation processes and environmental cleanup.     

Synthesis and characterization of mesoporous alumina,and adsorption performance for n-butane

Research on Chemical Intermediates - Samples of mesoporous alumina were synthesized by the sol–gel method, using carbohydrate as template and aluminium isopropoxide as the source of...     

Th(IV) adsorption on alumina: effects of contact time, pH, ionic strength and phosphate

Adsorption of Th(IV) (total concentration, 10(-5)-10(-4) mol/L) was studied by a batch technique. The effects of pH, ionic strength, contact time, and phosphate on the adsorption of Th(IV) onto alumina were investigated. Adsorption isotherms of Th(IV) on alumina at approximately constant pH and three ionic strengths (0.05, 0.1, 0.5 mol/L KNO3) were determined. It was found that the pH values of aqueous solutions of both the Th(IV)-alumina and phosphate-alumina adsorption systems increase with increasing contact time, respectively. Adsorption of Th(IV) on alumina steeply increases with increasing pH from 1 to 4.5 and the adsorption edge consists of three regions. The phosphate added clearly enhances Th(IV) adsorption in the pH range 1-4. From the adsorption isotherms at approximately constant pH and three different ionic strengths, a reduced ionic strength effect was observed and is contradictory to the insensitive effect obtained from the adsorption edges on three oxides of Fe, Al, and Si at different ionic strengths. Compared with the adsorption edges at different ionic strengths, the adsorption isotherms at approximately constant pH and different ionic strengths are more advantageous in the investigation of ionic strength effect. The significantly positive effect of phosphate on Th(IV) adsorption onto alumina was attributed to strong surface binding of phosphate on alumina and the subsequent formation of ternary surface complexes involving Th(IV) and phosphate.     

Effect of different butanols on the adsorption of sodium dodecylsulfate on alumina

The adsorption of sodium dodecylsulfate onto alumina from aqueous solutions (0.3 M NaCl) was determined in the presence of short-chain alcohols,i.e.,1-, 2-,iso-, andtert-butanol. All adsorption isotherms of the surfactant show the same trend upon the addition of the different short-chain alcohols. The isotherm reaches its saturation level at lower surfactant equilibrium concentrations than without alcohol, and the saturation adsorption density level decreases. The reason for these changes is attributed mostly to the lowering effect of butanols on the critical micelle concentration of sodium dodecylsulfate in the aqueous bulk phase, but also the competitive adsorption of the alcohols is considered.     

The adsorption of [35S] sulphur on palladium/alumina catalysts

The adsorption of sulphur on two palladium/alumina catalysts, prepared from different precursors, has been investigated using [³⁵S] H₂S.     

Lignin adsorption on cellulose fibre surfaces: Effect on surface chemistry, surface morphology and paper strength

The adsorption of lignin on cellulose fibres at neutral pH and the effects of calcium ions and a cationic polyelectrolyte (PDADMAC) on the adsorption have been studied. The surface coverage by lignin was determined by electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA). The morphology of the lignin layer was studied by atomic force microscopy (AFM). The effect of adsorbed polyelectrolyte and lignin on the strength properties of the paper was also studied. The adsorbed amount of lignin increased monotonically with lignin concentration. Addition of calcium ions resulted in a very high surface coverage by lignin. PDADMAC did not enhance the adsorption of lignin, but without addition of polyelectrolyte the lignin was very weakly attached to the fibre surface. PDADMAC formed complexes with lignin in solution. At high polymer/lignin concentration ratios the charge of the complex was positive and it adsorbed irreversibly as large blobs. At low ratios the complex was easily washed away from the fibre surface. When PDADMAC was pre-adsorbed on the fibre surface the lignin adsorbed as small granules at all lignin concentrations. Neither PDADMAC nor lignin alone increased the strength of pulp sheets significantly. However, together they increased the bonding between fibres.     

Influence of albumin adsorption on physico-chemical properties of alumina surfaces

The effect of albumin adsorption on neutral active aluminium oxide was investigated in the presence of polar and non-polar liquids. The adsorbed values were highest near the isoelectric point of albumin and varied in the range 5–10 and 3–11 mg g^–1 with phosphate buffer and potassium chloride respectively after 2 and 24 h. In the case of aluminium oxide the effect of albumin adsorption on total heterogeneity of adsorbents is not explicit. On the one hand, the modified samples showed decreasing surface area with increase of surface coverage with albumin. On the other hand, modifications under the same conditions but without albumin caused similar changes. These effects suggest the strong influence of medium pH on surface properties (due to surface polarization) and competitive co-adsorption of ions on the process. The volumetric fractal dimensions of the studied materials change in the range 2.25–2.32 for pure aluminium oxide and BSA modified from the phosphate solution. E _d,max values (desorption energy in the maximum of distribution function) diminish (in the range 40–45 kJ mol^–1) compared with pure aluminium oxide (E _d,max=52 kJ mol^–1) for water thermodesorption at modified surfaces to the increase of a number of active centers of hydrophobic character, and weakening of the adsorbent–adsorbate increases.     

Thermodynamics of adsorption of polybutadiene on alumina and silica gel: effect of temperature and solvent

The adsorption of polybutadiene (PBR) on alumina and silica gel was studied at different temperatures from cyclohexane and toluene solutions. It shows that the adsorption process was dependent on temperature and solvent. The adsorption isotherm and the thermodynamic quantities of adsorption were determined and it was observed that the adsorption process from both solvents was similar and the amount of adsorption increased as temperature decreased. The silica gel-cyclohexane system was more exothermic than all other systems and was also relatively more ordered.     

Theoretical study of CO adsorption on gold/alumina substrates

Aiming to understand the role of the substrate in the adsorption of carbon monoxide on gold clusters supported on metal-oxides, we have started a study of that process on two different alumina substrates: an amorphous-like fully relaxed stoichiometric (Al2O3)20 cluster and the Al terminated (0001) surface of alpha-(Al2O3) crystal. In this paper, we present first principles calculations for the adsorption of one Au atom on both alumina substrate and the adsorption of Au8 on (Al2O3)20. Then, we study the CO adsorption on the minimum energy structure of these three different gold/alumina systems. A single Au adsorbs preferably on top of an Al atom with low coordination, the binding energy being higher in the case of Au/(Al2O3)20. CO absorbs preferably on top of the Au atom, but in the case of Au/(Al2O3)20, Au forms a bridge with the Al and O substrate atoms after CO adsorption. We find other stable sites for CO adsorption on the cluster but not on the surface. This result suggests that the Au activity toward CO may be larger for the amorphous cluster than for the crystal surface substrate. For the most stable Au8/(Al2O3)20 configuration, two Au atoms bind to Al and a O atoms respectively and CO adsorbs on top of the Au which binds to the Al atom. We find other CO adsorption sites on supported Au8 which are not stable for the free Au8 cluster.     

The adsorption behavior of p-hydroxybenzoic acid on a silver-coated filter paper by surface enhanced Raman scattering

On dried filter paper coated with silver nanoparticles, surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectra of p-hydroxybenzoic acid (PHBA) were studied, and high-quality SERS spectra were obtained, indicating that the silver-coated filter paper is a highly SERS-active substrate. The analysis showed that the adsorption behavior of PHBA molecules on silver nanoparticles coated on filter paper was different from that in silver aqueous colloids. On the filter paper, it was found that the SERS spectra of PHBA changed with the proportion of PHBA molecules and silver nanoparticles, indicating that the adsorption behavior of PHBA molecules changed with the proportion. The probable reasons are given.     

Specific features of the adsorption of chlorinated methanes and water on carbon nanotubes and alumina

The adsorption of CH₂Cl₂, CH₃Cl, CCl₄, and H₂O vapors on the surface of multi-walled carbon nanotubes and alumina in the temperature range of 10—25 °C was studied. Dependences of the isosteric heat of adsorption on the surface coverage were plotted. The initial heat of adsorption of dichloromethane, chloroform, and CCl₄ on Al₂O₃ was found to be equal to 71, 28, and 31 kJ mol^–1, respectively. In most cases, adsorption on the oxide adsorbent was characterized by a higher heat of adsorption compared to that found on the carbon material, which is apparently related to chemical interaction of sorbed molecules with the OH groups of the alumina surface.     

The adsorption properties of aluminophosphates prepared by the template method from deanionized alumina sol

Isotherms of adsorption-desorption of tetrachloromethane vapors by mesoporous aluminophosphate precipitated with the cetylpyridinium template from an alumina sol deanionized by ion-exchange are measured. As the concentration of the cetylpyridinium template varies from 0.045 to 1.8 wt %, the aluminophosphate samples are shown to have a bi-or unimodal distribution of the volume of mesopores with respect to their radius depending on the conditions of the sol-gel transition. The values of the predominant radii of mesopores amount to less than 4–10 nm and to 7–13 nm for the bimodal distribution and to 9–14 nm for the unimodal distribution. Original Russian Text ? T.F. Kuznetsova, A.I. Ratĭko, O.A. Kudina, 2006, published in Kolloidnyi Zhurnal, 2006, Vol. 68, No. 2, pp. 219–225.     

Surface characterization and heats of adsorption of chromatographic alumina gel

The porous nature of chromatographic alumina gel has been investigated by adsorption/condensation processes and electron microscopy. Having 63% porosity, the gel is very porous. Total pore volume as determined by the fluid-displacement method is 0.497 cm³ g^–1. Its specific surface area, as determined by water vapor adsorption, is 225 m² g^–1. Micropore volume, as determined by utilizing Gurwitsch's rule, turns out to be 0.262 cm³ g^–1. The greater portion of the surface area and pore volume occurs in small and transitional pores, with average pore radii (hydraulic) less than 2.1 nm.Organic vapors, such as methyl ethyl ketone, acetone, methyl acetate, and methyl alcohol, were adsorbed on the gel between 0 and 36°C under vacuum, and the data were recorded on a Cahn-1000 electrobalance device. Isosteric heats of adsorption were calculated by applying the Clausius Clapeyron equation to the adsorption isosters at different surface coverages. Two types of adsorption processes, one with low activation energy and other with high activation energy can be distinguished. The increase in values ofq _st indicates that increasing temperature changes physical adsorption into chemisorption.     

Infrared study of the kinetics and mechanism of adsorption of acrylic polymers on alumina surfaces

In this paper, we studied the kinetics of the adsorption of poly(methyl methacrylate), PMMA, onto native aluminum oxide surfaces by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and reflection-absorption infrared spectroscopy, with the intent of tracking the various changes observed in the infrared spectrum of the adsorbed polymer layer as a function of adsorption time. Specifically, we utilized the relative changes in the absorption bands of the carbonyl, carboxylic acid, and carboxylate groups to determine the sequence of events that culminate in the formation of bonds between carboxylate groups on hydrolyzed PMMA and specific sites on the aluminum oxide surface. We have shown that the adsorption process involves the hydrolysis of a fraction of the methoxy groups of the PMMA to generate COOH groups. Unlike previous assumptions, the formation of COOH groups on the PMMA chains does not constitute a sufficient condition for the actual chemisorption of the polymer chains onto the metal oxide surface. To promote bonding, the acid groups must undergo dissociation to form the carboxylate groups, followed subsequently by actual bond formation, that is, active anchoring, on the surface. This process is mediated by the aluminum oxide sites on the surface in the presence of water. Hence, the adsorption process occurs via a two-step mechanism, in which the first step, that is, the hydrolysis step, is a necessary but insufficient condition and the second step, that is, the anchoring step, is largely dependent on the type of interfacial chemistry possible for a particular polymer-metal oxide surface, the polymer conformation, the molecular weight, and the flexibility of the adsorbing molecules.     

Removal of heavy metals by using adsorption on alumina or chitosan

The removal of heavy metals from wastewater by using activated alumina or chitosan as adsorbers was evaluated. Cd(II) and Cr(III) were employed as models of the behaviour of divalent and trivalent metal ions. The adsorption of Cd(II) and Cr(III) onto the adsorbers evaluated was studied as a function of pH, time, amount of adsorber, concentration of metal ions and sample volume. A 0.4-g portion of activated alumina can retain 0.6 mg Cr(III) and 0.2 mg Cd(II) from 20 mL sample adjusted at pH 4 and stirred for 30 min. It is therefore possible to totally decontaminate 500 mL of a waste containing 5 mg L(-1) Cd(II) and Cr(III) with 10 g alumina. On the other hand, 0.4 g chitosan can totally decontaminate 20 mL of a pH 5 solution containing up to 50 mg L(-1) Cd(II) and Cr(III). A 99.2+/-0.1% retention of Cd(II) and 83+/-1% retention of Cr(III) was obtained from 500 mL of a laboratory waste. The aforementioned strategies were applied for the minimization of analytical chemistry teaching laboratories and atomic spectrometry laboratory wastes. On comparing both adsorbers it can be concluded that chitosan is more preferable than alumina due to the reduced price of chitosan and the absence of side-pollution effects.     

A comparative metal ion adsorption study by trimesic acid coated alumina: a potent adsorbent

Benzene-1,3,5-tri-carboxylic acid (trimesic acid, TMA) coated on basic alumina has been shown to be an effective adsorbent for Fe(III) and Fe(II) from aqueous solution. A comparative study on the adsorption of Fe(III) and Fe(II) revealed that TMA coated alumina is more selective towards Fe(III) than Fe(II). The maximum adsorptions of Fe(III) and Fe(II) were 26.6 mg/g and 8.4 mg/g, respectively. Fe(III)/Fe(II) adsorption was also compared in some cases with adsorption of Co(II) and Ni(II). Maximum uptakes (Qm) for Co(II) and Ni(II) were found much lower (approximately 1 mg/g) than Fe(III)/Fe(II). pH dependent studies have revealed that Fe(III) was adsorbed efficiently at high acidic condition (pH approximately 1.5) compared to Fe(II), Co(II) and Ni(II), while temperature did not have significant effect on the adsorption processes. Adsorption of Fe(III) and Fe(II) was quite rapid and thermodynamically favourable. Adsorption processes fitted well in Langmuir isotherm model and followed second order rate kinetics in all cases.     

Tetracyclines adsorption onto alumina: A comparative experimental and molecular dynamics simulation study

Using alumina (Al₂O₃) as the adsorbent, a static adsorption experiment was carried out in this study. It comprehensively evaluated the factors including Al₂O₃ dosage, adsorption temperature, and pH that influence the adsorption capability of three tetracyclines (TCs), namely, tetracycline hydrochloride (TC), chlortetracycline hydrochloride (CTC) and oxytetracycline hydrochloride (OTC). The results demonstrate that the adsorption efficiency increases with Al₂O₃ dosage. In addition, low-acid or natural solution is benefit for the adsorption. The adsorption behavior is more reasonably described with the Freundlich isotherm, and fits well with the pseudo-second-order kinetic model (R²?>?0.999). The results of molecular dynamics (MD) simulation show that the structures of TCs deformed during the combining process. The values of binding energy of TCs follow the order as: CTC (88.45?kcal/mol)?>?OTC (73.54?kcal/mol)?>?TC (54.28?kcal/mol). The MD simulation results agree well with the adsorption experimental results, which indicates that the MD simulation is reliable and reasonable. The MD simulation will provide theoretical knowledge in understanding the adsorption mechanism and environmental behavior of TCs.