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The Development and Characterisation of Sorbents from Irish Sphagnum Moss Peat
Author(s) -
Whitten L. J.,
Allen S. J.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
developments in chemical engineering and mineral processing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1932-2143
pISSN - 0969-1855
DOI - 10.1002/apj.5500050307
Subject(s) - charring , adsorption , sphagnum , porosity , peat , porosimetry , sorption , sorbent , moss , specific surface area , chemistry , chemical engineering , materials science , environmental chemistry , composite material , organic chemistry , porous medium , botany , catalysis , ecology , engineering , biology
A range of carbon chars was produced from sphagnum moss peat by heating in a furnace with a reduced oxygen atmosphere. A series of heating times and temperatures were selected for the preparation of the chars. Comparative porosity and surface area studies, based on nitrogen sorption isotherms and mercury porosimetry data, were carried out to characterise the chars. Further characterisation studies were condućted by electron microscopy techniques. Optimum charring conditions, yielding maximum surface area for N 2 adsorption, were observed at a charring temperature of 800°C and charring time 30 minutes. Using the optimum charring conditions, a further series of chars was produced. Prior to charring the raw peat was chemically pre‐treated with a range of metal salt solutions of varying percentage concentration. The resulting chars were characterised as above. The adsorptive capacity of these chars for N 2 was investigated on the Sorptomatic 1900 (Fisons Instruments). The adsorption isotherms were compared to the standard isotherms of Langmuir. Adsorbate uptake was seen to vary with surface area availability, pore volume, pore type and the nature of the adsorbate.