Abstract
ABSTRACTThe use of urea was investigated as an alternative to the poisonous and expensive NH3 gas, commonly used for amination of adsorbents. First, we fabricated activated carbon nanofibers (AnFs) by electrospinning of urea‐doped polyacrylonitrile solution (N‐AnF). By increasing the activation temperature, the average specific surface area (SBET) and micropore volume (Vmicro) of pristine nFs improved from 27.3 to 300 m2/g and 0.004 to 0.13 cm3/g, respectively. Upon urea doping, both properties were further enhanced to 542 m2/g and 0.22 cm3/g, respectively. However, with chemical investigation via X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, we observed that the urea‐doping incorporated more of less desired quaternary‐N, along with other more basic and desirable N‐functionalities (i.e., nitrile, pyridinic, pyrrolic N) tethered. Based on the eventual CO2 adsorption results, we realized that average pore diameter (davg) is a limiting factor with regard to CO2 adsorption by AnFs; the lower the davg, the better the adsorption. Further examination via adsorption isotherm model fitting showed that CO2 molecules were homogenously collected in a monolayer pattern. However, three‐parameter model Redlich–Peterson model best fits the experimental data, suggesting that the adsorption is concentration‐driven and that it tends toward Langmuir rather than Freundlich at elevated concentration of CO2. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017, 134, 45534.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.