Adsorption Properties of Single -Walled Carbon Nanotubes for Air Quality Engineering

The adsorption capacities of nanotubes were also determined for pure organic vapors, water vapor and mixtures of organic and water vapor. Adsorption of organic vapors depended mainly on the sample morphology with a maximum uptake equivalent to only ≈50% of the total pore volume of the sample. The adsorption capacities appeared unaffected by the physical properties of the organic vapors. The adsorption of water vapor was equivalent to only 10--15% of the total pore volume, which indicated that nanotubes are extremely hydrophobic. It was also observed that when mixtures of organic and water vapor were allowed to adsorb onto nanotubes, water adsorbed in the internal volume of the nanotubes while organic vapors adsorbed onto the outer surface of the nanotubes. This information is useful to understand how nanotubes can be used for conditions such as when organic vapors exist at very low concentrations (10's of ppbv) and or when adsorption of organic vapors is desired from gas streams saturated with water vapor.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2015

Author dc:creator

• Agnihotri, Sandeep

Contributors dc:contributor

• Rood, Mark J.

• Engineering, Environmental

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

(MiAaPQ)AAI3198915

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/83270