Energies of Intermolecular Interaction and Hydration of Benzene Derivatives Molecules Adsorbed on Active Carbon from an Aqueous Solution

Abstract

Energy heterogeneity of an adsorbent surface does not affect the isotherm of adsorption from aqueous solutions. Therefore, the balance of the changes in the Gibbs energy resulted from the adsorption of sparingly water-soluble substances shows that, in the whole range of filling of the adsorption phase, the pattern of the adsorption isotherm depends on the difference between the energy of the interaction of adsorbed molecules with each other and the energy of their hydration needed to displace water molecules from the adsorption phase. The standard adsorption energy of molecules of benzene and its derivatives from aqueous solutions and the difference between the energy of their interaction in the adsorption phase and the energy of their hydration are determined by the extrapolation of adsorption isotherms of these substances to the standard conditions (θ → 0, C → 0) and to the conditions of maximal approach of the adsorbed molecules to each other (θ → 1). The hydration energy of the molecules of benzene and its derivatives is calculated based on the proportionality of this energy to the sum of the concentration potentials of the components in a saturated solution, where the proportionality coefficient is equal to the number of water molecules interacting with one organic molecule. Calculated energies of phenol and aniline hydration are equal to the energies of H-bonds of phenol (OH···OH₂) and amino (NH···OH₂) groups. Hydration energies of phenol and aniline derivatives vary according to the effect of a substituent in the benzene ring on the H-bond energy. Negative values of hydration energy of polar hydrophobic molecules result from their hydrophobic effect on water structure. The interaction energy of hydrated and dehydrated adsorbed molecules, whose benzene ring planes are oriented in parallel to the carbon surface, is found from the calculated hydration energies. For H-bond-forming molecules, this energy is equal to the energy of one H-bond formed upon the surface dimerization. The energy of repulsion between polar hydrophobic molecules of benzene derivatives depends on the vertical component of the dipole moment, and is the higher the larger the polar group volume.