High Temperature Adsorption of Hydrocarbons by Activated Carbons Prepared from Olive Stones

Abstract

The evolution of microporosity of activated carbons prepared from carbonized olive stones as a function of burn-off in carbon dioxide (activating agent) has been studied at high temperature using a gas chromatographic technique. The specific net retention volumes have been used to determine the possible molecular sieve properties of the carbons towards several hydra-carbons. This molecular sieving is thought to be due to the existence of slit-shaped pores in the carbons with well-defined dimensions. The retention data have also been used to calculate the heats of adsorption and their dependence on the porosity of the carbons.