Optimization Conditions of Modified Activated Carbon and the Adsorption of Phenol

Abstract

To optimize the conditions of modification and understand the absorption mechanism of activated carbon, the orthogonal test was used to select the best conditions of ammonia-modified activated carbon. The changes of activated carbon’s specific surface area, pore volume and surface acidic oxygen-containing functional groups were determined before and after modification by ammonia, and the equilibrium adsorption model for phenol was also explored. The results show that under the conditions of ammonia concentration of 10%, soaking time of 2h, activation time of 2.5h and activation temperature of 500°C, the best removal rate could be obtained. The specific surface area and pore volume of modified activated carbon were increased, whereas the acidic oxygen-containing groups of its surface were significantly reduced by 57.88% after modification. It means the surface polarity of carbon was decreased, and which was conducive to the adsorption of phenol, since phenol was a weakly polar substance. Both Freundlich and Langmuir model could reflect the adsorption behavior of modified activated carbon for phenol, while the Freundlich model was more properly, but for the unmodified activated carbon, Freundlich model was more suited to describe the adsorption behavior of phenol than Langmuir model.