Thermodynamical model and prediction of gas/solid adsorption isotherms

Abstract

A thermodynamic model of gas/solid adsorption has been constructed from two elements. One of those is the original Gibbs equation. The second is functions psi(theta) or psi(P) calculable from measured isotherms. The model provides the possibility of calculating the relative change in free energy of the surface, and based on the model, implicit isotherm equations of general validity and in integral form can be derived. The prediction of isotherms can be made based on characteristic adsorption functions (CAFs). The CAFs concentrate in one function all measured isotherms having the same change in relative free energy of the surface. From CAFs any isotherm can be predicted if one measured point is known or one required datum of the isotherm can be defined. The maximum average deviation between the measured adsorbed amounts and those calculated from the CAFs is +/-10%. The CAFs are very sensitive to the internal structure of adsorbents (micro-, meso-, and macropores and nanostructures). It is the goal of future investigations to determine the exact connections related to the CAFs and to the structure of adsorbents.