Effects of properties of three VOCs on activated carbon adsorption

Abstract

To explore the effects of VOC properties on activated carbon adsorption, physical and chemical properties of activated carbon including surface area, pore volume, pore size distribution and surface functional groups were characterized. Three VOCs(toluene, acetone and xylene) were chosen as adsorbate. Fixed-bed adsorption experiments were carried out under the same conditions. Correlation analysis between experimental results and VOC properties was conducted. The experimental results show that adsorption capacity is xylene>toluene>acetone. The adsorption capacity of the activated carbon increases with molecular weight, molecular dynamic diameter, boiling point, and density of VOC, and the correlation is a linear relationship, but the relationship between polarity index, vapor pressure and adsorption capacity is opposite. The adsorption energy of these three types of activated carbon for VOCs is xylene>toluene>acetone.