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The correlation between structural characteristics of activated carbons and their adsorption of organic solutes from aqueous solutions

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Abstract

Adsorption is controlled by an array of attractive forces between adsorbent, adsorbate, and solvent molecules. Such forces work interactively, making the interpretation and prediction of sorption processes difficult. By carefully designing the experimental matrix, the effects of adsorbent surface chemistry and pore structure on the adsorption of aromatic compounds were isolated from the complicated web of interactions. Two parameters, γ and δ, were created to describe the relative adsorption affinity index of activated carbons to adsorbates and the occupancy rate of activated carbons by active sites that can lead to formation of water clusters. Taking the space availability and the relative adsorption affinity index into account, a correlation between the Freundlich adsorption affinity coefficient and the characteristics of adsorbent was established. With this correlation, if the Freundlich adsorption affinity coefficient of a compound on one carbon is known, its adsorption affinity coefficient on another carbon might be predictable if the surface chemistries and pore structures of both carbons are available.

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Acknowledgements

This work was partly supported by a research grant from National Science Foundation (CBET 0730694). However, the manuscript has not been subjected to the peer and policy review of the agency and therefore does not necessarily reflect its views.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, P.R. China

    Shujuan Zhang & Bingcai Pan

  2. Department of Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, Clemson University, 342 Computer Court, Anderson, SC, 29625, USA

    Ting Shao & Tanju Karanfil

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  1. Shujuan Zhang
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  2. Ting Shao
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  3. Tanju Karanfil
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  4. Bingcai Pan
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Correspondence to Shujuan Zhang.

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Zhang, S., Shao, T., Karanfil, T. et al. The correlation between structural characteristics of activated carbons and their adsorption of organic solutes from aqueous solutions. Adsorption 18, 229–238 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10450-012-9396-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10450-012-9396-0

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