Adsorption survey of activated carbon by Butanol

Full name: Nguyen Khac Tung

Student id: 20201795
Group
Instructor: Dr. Nguyen Hoang Chung

Introduction
Adsorption is the deposition of molecules on the surface. The types of molecules that are adsorbed on
the surface are called the adsorbent and the surface where the adsorption occurs is called the adsorbent.
Common examples of adsorbents are clay, silica gel, colloid, metal. Adsorption is a surface phenomenon.
The process of removing the adsorbent from the surface of the adsorbent is called desorption.
When the surfactant is dissolved in water, the solute molecules will be adsorbed on the liquid-gas
interface. It is this adsorption that reduces the surface tension of the solution. The greater the surfactant
concentration, the greater the adsorption capacity and the smaller the surface tension. Therefore, if the
solution concentration is reduced in any way, the gas-liquid adsorption decreases and the surface tension
of the solution increases.
In this experiment, the method of measuring the surface tension of the solution was used to study the
adsorption in the exchange solution. The goal is to determine the constants Г∞ and K in the Langmuir
equation I. The tested hypothesis to be tested was that the adsorption causes an increase in surface tension
and a decrease in adsorbent concentration.

I. Methodology
Four conical flasks (1- 4) were weighed into exactly 1 gram of activated carbon and added 25 ml of
alcohol solution to each of them as shown in Table 1 (using burette).
Table 1. Composition of test tubes
Test tube number 1 2 3 4
Butylic alcohol concentration 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4
(M)

They were shaken with a shaker to increase the adsorption rate. Left to adsorb for about 60 minutes.
Measured the h0 value of the distilled water and four h values of the 4 solutions of the above
concentrations. The value of h is the height difference between the two sides of the manometer. The
volume of distilled water and each solution should be the same so that the measurement condition of the
samples is close to be the same.
Placed the liquid to be measured into tube (1). Inserted the capillary (2) into the tube (note: The
capillary tip just touches the surface of the substance liquid). Placed tube (1) with capillary plug into
beaker (4) to stabilize the temperature. Measure temperature with heat next (5). During the measurement,
the temperature should be stable. Before measuring, check the button and connecting pipes, lock to ensure
sealing. After stabilizing the temperature, unlocked (7) slowly let the water in the tank decrease pressure
(6) flows down the cup (8). Then the pressure in the system is less than the external pressure. Degreed the
pressure difference is reflected by degrees height h of the manometer or also known as manometer (9).
Controled to stay in it takes about 10-20 seconds for a bubble to appear exit. When air bubbles came out
from the capillaries manage (2), h has the largest value. Wrote price the value of h.

1. Tube 5. Pressure reducing tank

2. Capillary tube 6. Lock
3. Glass 7. Glass
4. Thermometer 8. Manomet

Figure 1. Surface Tension Gauge

II. Results
As presented in Figure 2, the h-C phase diagram is a straight-line y=-106x + 91 with an R 2=0.9979.
Extra observations are presented in Table 1

Table1. Extra observations

Г∞ 0.011 (mol/g)
Kadsorption 2.71

90
80
f(x) = − 106 x + 91
70 R² = 0.997868561278863
60
50
h (mm)

40
30
20
10
0
0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25 0.3 0.35 0.4 0.45
Butylic alcohol concentration - C
(M)
 Figure 2. h - C chart
60

50

40

30

C’/Г 20

10

0
0 0.0005 0.001 0.0015 0.002 0.0025 0.003 0.0035 0.004 0.0045 0.005

Г
Figure 3. C’/Г- Г chart
III. Discussion
The height difference between the two sides of the manometer before and after changed significantly,
Butanol molecules adhere to the surface of activated carbon, indicating that the concentration of C 4H9OH
was changed.

Like surface tension, adsorption is a consequence of surface energy. In bulk materials, all bonding
requirements (be it ionic, covalent, or metallic) of the constituent atoms of the material are filled by other
atoms in the material. However, the atoms on the adsorbent surface are not completely surrounded by
other adsorbent atoms and thus can attract the adsorbents.

The amount of substance that can be adsorbed onto activated carbon depends on the nature of the
adsorbent and adsorbent, the surface area of the adsorbent, the activation of the adsorbent and the
experimental conditions such as: temperature. The adsorption process is often studied through graphs
known as adsorption isotherms. It is the amount of adsorbent on the adsorbent as a function if its pressure
or concentration is at constant temperature. An example of an isotherm is the Langmuir equation, and it is
the most used isotherm equation because of its simplicity and ability to fit a wide variety of adsorption
data.

By tracking back the experimental procedure, at least there factors could be the causes of errors. First,
the error in the process of taking chemicals makes the calculation inaccurate. Secondly, the process of
observing the difference between the two sides of the manometer is not accurate . Thirdly, the test
equipment is no longer good, causing errors
IV. Coclusion
Before adsorption, we found that the higher the concentration of C 4H9OH, the lower the h, but h is
directly proportional to the surface tension in isothermal conditions, so increasing the concentration of
C4H9OH will reduce the surface tension.

After adsorption, we see that h increases corresponding to increased surface tension, and C < C' due to
being adsorbed by activated carbon.
 References
[1] Cao Hong Ha et al., Thi nghiem hoa ly (Physical chemistry laboratory manual), (in Vietnamese)
Nhà xuất bản Bach Khoa Ha Noi,

Appendix 1. Raw and processed experimental data.

Table A1. Raw and processed experimental data.
Experimental temperature t℃ = 27℃ Vbutanol= 25 ml
ho= 103mm
Before adsorption
1 2 3 4
C (M) 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4
h (mm) 81 69 59 49

After adsorption
1’ 2’ 3’ 4’
h’ (mm) 91 85 74 67
C’ (M) 0.05 0.04 0.17 0.22
Г 1.25×10-3 2.75 ×10-3 3.25 ×10-3 4.5 ×10-3
C’/Г 40.00 32.72 52.31 48.8