Surface chemistry of wood-based phosphoric acid-activated carbons and its effects on adsorptivity

✍ Scribed by FS Baker; RA Daley; RH Bradley

• Publisher: Wiley (John Wiley & Sons)
• Year: 2005
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 124 KB
• Volume: 80
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0268-2575
• DOI: 10.1002/jctb.1255

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

The surface oxygen content of selected wood‐based phosphoric acid‐activated carbons was quantified using X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and correlated with the residual bulk phosphate levels of the carbons and their adsorptivity in solution. The adsorption of Al^3+^, Cu^2+^, and para‐chlorophenol, respectively, from water decreased as a function of increasing surface oxygen content of the carbons. When the carbon of lowest surface oxygen content was oxidized with ozone to impart a surface oxygen content comparable to that of a carbon with a much higher phosphate level, adsorption of Al^3+^, Cu^2+^, and para‐chlorophenol from water decreased proportionally. The increase in polarity of the carbon surface was accompanied by a decrease in pH and appeared to be the dominant factor with respect to the adsorption of the target species from water. Copyright © 2005 Society of Chemical Industry