Adsorption Characteristics of Nanoporous Activated Carbon Tailored with Acidic Treatment

The adsorption remediation behavior of nanoporous activated carbon (NAC) was studied towards toluene, heptane, water, and 2-propanol. Besides, NACs tailored with acidic treatment were prepared and selected as catalysts to examine their potential in the reaction of 2-propanol dehydration to propylene. It was shown that depending on the used modification method, the surface layers of carbons contain from 0.30 up to 0.98 mmol/g of SO3H groups. Thermal stability, adsorption of 2-propanol and catalytic behavior of the resulted samples were characterized. Thermoprogrammed desorption studies presented the positive correlation of catalytic efficiency with the temperature range of desorption of 2-propanol and propylene. The lowest temperatures at the desorption maxima had the sample of NAC modified with the sulfonated poly(α-methylstyrene). It showed the highest catalytic performance and relatively low temperatures and could completely dehydrate alcohol at 140 °C, while the pristine NAC has no catalytic activity for 2-propanol dehydration at that temperature.