A microcalorimetric comparison of the effect ofn-alkane preadsorption on the adsorption of argon and nitrogen on Silicalite-I

Then-alkanes of different lengths were preadsorbed to selectively block part of the micropores of a MFI-type zeolite, Silicalite-I. The porosity available to argon and nitrogen was then studied by quasi-equilibrium adsorption microcalorimetry and volumetry at 77K and compared to what was found for the bare zeolite. Indeed, although partial adsorption ofn-alkanes does not alter the value of the differential enthalpies of adsorption for both argon and nitrogen, then-butane preadsorption diminishes the adsorption capacity by inducing inaccessible volumes in the micropore network. Moreover, the microcalorimetric experiments clearly show thatn-butane is not evenly distributed in the zeolite channel network while the longern-alkanes used are.