Skip to main content
Log in

Characterization of the PSD of activated carbons from peach stones for separation of combustion gas mixtures

  • Published:
Adsorption Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Controlled series of microporous carbons were prepared through chemical activation with phosphoric acid from peach stones as the precursor material, corresponding to different preparation conditions. Adsorption isotherms of N2 at 77 K and of CO2 at 273 K were measured to be used in the characterization of the samples. The recently proposed mixed-geometry model (MGM), which assumes that the activated carbon is better represented by a mixture of slit and triangular geometry pores, is used to obtain the PSDs of the samples, on the basis of Grand Canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) simulated ideal isotherms, both for N2 at 77 K and of CO2 at 273 K. Our results emerging from the analysis of two families of activated carbons reveal a consistent picture supporting the thesis that the PSDs of the same sample obtained trough N2 and CO2 adsorption are different, a still controversial issue in the literature. Comparison of predictions from the MGM with those of the pure slit geometry model (PSGM) shows that the former gives a more consistent picture and more similar PSDs for the two adsorbates used.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Azevedo, D.C.S., Rios, R.B., López, R.H., Torres, A.E.B., Cavalcante, C.L. Jr., Toso, J.P., Zgrablich, G.: Characterization of PSD of activated carbons by using slit and triangular pore geometries. Appl. Surf. Sci. 256, 5191–5197 (2010)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Blanco, A.A.G., Alexandre de Oliveira, J.C., López, R., Moreno-Piraján, J.C., Giraldo, L., Zgrablich, G., Sapag, K.: A study of the pore size distribution for activated carbon monoliths and their relationship with the storage of methane and hydrogen. Colloids Surf. A, Physicochem. Eng. Asp. 537, 74 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bojan, M.J., Steele, W.A.: Computer simulation in pores with rectangular cross-sections. Carbon 36, 1417–1423 (1998)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cazorla-Amorós, D., Alcañiz-Monge, J., Casa-Lillo, M.A., Linares-Solano, A.: CO2 as an adsorptive to characterize carbon molecular sieves and activated carbons. Langmuir 14, 4589–4596 (1998)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Davies, G.M., Seaton, N.A., Vassiliadis, V.S.: Calculation of pore size distribution of activated carbons from adsorption isotherms. Langmuir 15, 8235–8245 (1999)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Garrido, J., Linares-Solano, A., Martín-Martínez, J.M., Molina-Sabio, M., Rodríguez-Reinoso, F., Torregrosa, R.: Use of N2 vs. CO2 in the characterization of activated carbons. Langmuir 3, 76–81 (1987)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Huang, Z.H., Kang, F., Huang, W.L., Yang, J.B., Liang, K.M., Cui, M.L., Cheng, Z.: Pore structure and fractal characteristics of activated carbon fibers characterized by using HRTEM. J. Colloid Interface Sci. 249, 453–457 (2002)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jagiello, J., Thommes, M.: Comparison of DFT characterization methods based on N2, Ar, CO2, and H2 adsorption applied to carbons with various pore size distributions. Carbon 42, 1227–1232 (2004)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lozano-Castelló, D., Cazorla-Amorós, D., Linares-Solano, A.: Usefulness of CO2 adsorption at 273 K for the characterization of porous carbons. Carbon 43, 1233–1242 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marsh, H., Rodríguez-Reinoso, F.: Activated Carbon. Elsevier, London (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  • Ravikovitch, P.I., Vishnyakov, A., Russo, R., Neimark, A.V.: Unified approach to pore size characterization of microporous carbonaceous materials from N2, Ar, and CO2 adsorption isotherms. Langmuir 16, 2311–2320 (2000)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rios, R.B., Silva, W.M., Torres, A.E.B., Azevedo, D.C.S., Cavalcante, C.L. Jr.: Adsorption of methane in activated carbons obtained from coconut shells using H3PO4 chemical activation. Adsorption 15, 271–277 (2009)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rodríguez-Reinoso, F., Molina-Sabio, M.: Textural and chemical characterization of microporous carbons. Adv. Colloid Interface Sci. 76–77, 271–294 (1998)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rouquerol, F., Rouquerol, J., Sing, K.: Adsorption by Powders and Porous Solids. Academic Press, San Diego (1999)

    Google Scholar 

  • Soares Maia, D.A., Sapag, K., Toso, J.P., López, R.H., Azevedo, D.C.S., Cavalcante, C.L.C. Jr., Zgrablich, G.: Characterization of activated carbon from peach stones through the mixed geometry model. Mic. Mes. Mat. (2010, accepted)

  • Steele, W.A.: The Interaction of Gases with Solids Surfaces. Oxford, Pergamon (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Valladares, D.L., Rodríguez-Reinoso, F., Zgrablich, G.: Characterization of active carbons: the influence of the method in the determination of the pore size distribution. Carbon 36, 1491–1499 (1998)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vishnyakov, A., Ravikovitch, P.I., Neimark, A.V.: Molecular level models for CO2 adsorption in nanopores. Langmuir 15, 8736–8742 (1999)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Giorgio Zgrablich.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Soares Maia, D.A., de Oliveira, J.C.A., Toso, J.P. et al. Characterization of the PSD of activated carbons from peach stones for separation of combustion gas mixtures. Adsorption 17, 853–861 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10450-011-9344-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10450-011-9344-4

Keywords

Navigation