Evidence of textural modifications of an activated carbon on liquid-phase oxidation treatments

Two series of samples were prepared by means of oxidation of a parent activated carbon with either HNO₃ or H₂O₂. An important effect of the HNO₃ treatment temperature on the textural properties of the resulting samples was found, since below 333 K only the mesoporous region was affected, whereas at 363 K a generation of micropores and a loss of mesopores took place. The textural properties were strongly affected when reflux conditions were applied. The effect of the H₂O₂ treatment concentration on the textural properties was low as compared with the effect of the HNO₃ treatment temperature. In both treatments, modifications on the adsorption distribution potentials obtained by the Dubinin-Astakhov formalism were observed.