Microporous carbons surface chemistry

N-doping has already been reported for ACF and activated carbon [150,152], It is well known that the uptake pressure and the shape of the H20 isotherm are functions of both micropore size and surface chemical properties. In this case, however, the influence of micropore size can almost be excluded and the observed difference in the uptake pressure be attributed solely to carbon surface chemistry. It is therefore reasonable to conclude that the inner pore surface of the N-doped carbon is more hydrophilic than that of the undoped one. Since the O content of the former carbon is lower than that of the latter, the above results indicate that in this case the presence of N groups is more effective for H20 adsorption. 

Pendleton and coworkers [46] showed (Fig. 25.5) that the adsorption of dodecanoic acid on different activated carbons linearly decreased when the oxygen content of the carbonaceous adsorbent increased and that the adsorption was not related to the micropore volume of the adsorbent. They concluded that the surface chemistry more accurately predicted the adsorption of dodecanoic acid in aqueous phase compared with the surface area or micropore volume. In addition, carbon surface chemistry also had a significant influence on dodecanoic acid adsorption kinetics. Thus, the adsorption rate was reduced by the high surface oxygen content of the carbon adsorbent, whereas its pore volume made a smaller contribution [47],... 

High porosity carbons ranging from typically microporous solids of narrow pore size distribution to materials with over 30% of mesopore contribution were produced by the treatment of various polymeric-type (coal) and carbonaceous (mesophase, semi-cokes, commercial active carbon) precursors with an excess of KOH. The effects related to parent material nature, KOH/precursor ratio and reaction temperature and time on the porosity characteristics and surface chemistry is described. The results are discussed in terms of suitability of produced carbons as an electrode material in electric double-layer capacitors. 

Ldszld K, Rochas C, Geissler E (2008) Water vapour adsorption and contrast-modified saxs in microporous polymer-based carbons of different surface chemistry Adsorption 14 447-455... 

As explained in Chapter 7, since the multilayer isotherm path is rather insensitive to differences in surface chemistry, for routine mesopore analysis it is possible to make use of a universal form of nitrogen isotherm. However, most activated carbons are highly microporous and the determination of the micropore size distribution remains a more difficult problem. Indeed, as discussed in Chapter 8, even the assessment of the total micropore volume presents conceptual difficulties. We should therefore regard the measurement of a nitrogen adsorption isotherm as only the first stage in the characterization of a microporous carbon. 

Immersion calorimetry is a very useful technique for the surface characterization of solids. It has been widely used with for the characterization of microporous solids, mainly microporous carbons [6]. The heat evolved when a given liquid wets a solid can be used to estimate the surface area available for the liquid molecules. Furthermore, specific interactions between the solid surface and the immersion liquid can also be analyzed. The appropriate selection of the immersion liquid can be used to characterize both the textural and the surface chemical properties of porous solids. Additionally, in the case zeolites, the enthalpy of immersion can also be related to the nature of the zeolite framework structure, the type, valence, chemistry and accessibility of the cation, and the extent of ion exchange. This information can be used, together with that provided by other techniques, to have a more complete knowledge of the textural and chemical properties of these materials. 

In recent years, activated carbons fibers (ACFs) because of their high surface area, microporous character, and the chemical nature of their surface have been considered potential adsorbents for the removal of heavy metals from industrial wastewater [1 3]. The properties of ACFs are determined by their microstructure, it is therefore important to investigate the microstructure of ACFs in terms of specific surface area, micropore volume, pore size distributions, surface chemistry and so on. Also, the adsorption properties of carbonaceous adsorbents are dependent on not only the porous structure but also the surface chemistry [3,4]. 

Microporous Structure of Activated Carbons as Revealed by Adsorption Methods, Francisco Rodn guez-Reinoso and Angel Linares-Solano Infrared Spectroscopy in Surface Chemistry of Carbons, Jerzy Zawadzki... 

The recent work by Li and coworkers [18] provides a good illustration of the importance of the surface chemistry and pore texture of carbon materials on nonelectrolyte adsorption. They studied the adsorption of trichloroethene (TCE) and methyl ieri-butyl ether (MTBE) on different commercial activated carbons and activated carbon fibers with different porosity and surface chemistry. TCE is a relatively hydrophobic planar molecule. MTBE is tetrahedron-like and relatively hydrophilic. The results of the adsorption from aqueous solutions on the more hydrophobic carbons showed that TCE adsorption was controlled by a pore volume ranging from 0.7 to 1 nm width, as shown in Fig. 25.2. MTBE was primarily adsorbed in pores with widths between 0.8 and 1.1 nm. These micropore ranges were between 1.3 and 1.8 times the kinetic diameter of the adsorptives. 

No consensus has been reached on the roles of physical absorption and chemical bonding when investigating the surface chemistry of carbon fibers and made more difficult by the buried interface. Jones [47] claims that the electrolytic surface treatment process produces a surface on which the known concentration of chemical functionalities cannot be accommodated on the surface of a smooth cylinder. Absorption studies [48] support the fact that erosion could occur and active species can be deposited in the vicinity of intercrystallite voids. Types A and HT fibers have more basal planes that emerge directly to the surface than is the case with HM fiber and hence are more readily surface treated. Hence, it was suggested [49,50] that HM fiber would require an active epoxy group of smaller dimensions that could be accommodated within the micropore. 

---