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Calorimetric evaluation of activated carbons modified for phenol and 2,4-dinitrophenol adsorption

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Abstract

Two commercial activated carbons with differences in their superficial chemistry, one granular and the other pelletised, were modified for use in phenol and 2,4-dinitrophenol adsorption. In this paper, changes to the activated carbon surface will be evaluated from their immersion calorimetry in water and benzene, and they will then be compared with Area BET, chemical parameters, micropore size distributions and hydrophobicity factors of the modified activated carbons. The activated carbons were modified using 60 % solutions of phosphoric acid (H3PO4), nitric acid (HNO3), zinc chloride (ZnCl2) and potassium hydroxide (KOH); the activated carbon/solution ratio was 1:3 and impregnation was conducted 291 K for a period of 72 h before samples were washed until a constant pH was obtained. Water immersion calorimetry showed that the best results were obtained from activated carbons modified with nitric acid, which increased from −10.6 to −29.8 J g−1 for modified granular activated carbon, and −30.9 to −129.3 J g−1 for pelletised activated carbon. Additionally, they showed the best results in phenol and 2.4-dititrophenol adsorption. Those results indicate that impregnation with nitric acid under the employed conditions could generate a greater presence of oxygenated groups on their surface, which favours hydrogen bond formation and the increased adsorption of polar compounds. It should also be noted that immersion enthalpy in benzene for modified activated carbon with nitric acid is the method with the lowest value, which is consistent with the increased presence of polar groups on its surface. Regarding hydrophobicity factors, it was observed that granular carbons modified with nitric acid and potassium hydroxide have the lowest ratios, indicating greater interaction with water.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful for the agreement between Los Andes University and the National University of Colombia and the agreement act established by the Chemistry Departments of both universities.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Sede Bogotá, Carrera 30 No 45-03, 451 124, Bogotá, Colombia

    Ana María Carvajal-Bernal, Fernando Gómez-Granados & Liliana Giraldo

  2. Laboratorio de Sólidos Porosos y Calorimetría, Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de los Andes, Carrera 1 No 18 A-10, Bogotá, Colombia

    Juan Carlos Moreno-Piraján

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  1. Ana María Carvajal-Bernal
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  2. Fernando Gómez-Granados
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  3. Liliana Giraldo
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  4. Juan Carlos Moreno-Piraján
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Correspondence to Fernando Gómez-Granados.

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Carvajal-Bernal, A.M., Gómez-Granados, F., Giraldo, L. et al. Calorimetric evaluation of activated carbons modified for phenol and 2,4-dinitrophenol adsorption. Adsorption 22, 13–21 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10450-015-9725-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10450-015-9725-1

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