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Combined processes of glycerol polymerization/carbonization/activation to produce efficient adsorbents for organic contaminants
Author(s) -
Medeiros Miguel de Araujo,
Cançado Thiago Moraes,
Leite Carla Maria Macedo,
Lago Rochel Montero
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
journal of chemical technology and biotechnology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.64
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1097-4660
pISSN - 0268-2575
DOI - 10.1002/jctb.3805
Subject(s) - carbonization , adsorption , activated carbon , sulfuric acid , methylene blue , polymerization , vermiculite , glycerol , chemistry , carbon fibers , chemical engineering , catalysis , composite number , materials science , nuclear chemistry , organic chemistry , composite material , polymer , photocatalysis , engineering
BACKGROUND: Glycerol was used to produce efficient adsorbents with a high surface area for organic contaminants by a combined process based on polymerization, carbonization and activation. RESULTS: Glycerol and sulfuric acid catalyst at concentrations of 0, 0.5, 1, 2 and 5 mol% were heated to 150 °C to form polyglycerol, which was then decomposed at 580 °C and activated with CO 2 at 850 °C. The resulting activated carbons had a high specific area (1630 m 2 g −1 ) and high adsorption capacity of methylene blue used as a model organic contaminant. This process was also used to produce a special composite adsorbent based on expanded vermiculite (EV) coated with activated carbon. These composites were produced by impregnation of EV with glycerol followed by polymerization, thermal decomposition and activation with CO 2 to produce up to 25 wt% carbon and a surface area of 835 m 2 g −1 . CONCLUSIONS: The carbon layer present in the EV composite/activated carbon (GVE4CA2) produces a remarkable increase in the methylene blue adsorption capacity of the expanded vermiculite and strongly decreases undesirable water absorption. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry