Duhok Polytechnic University

Duhok Technical College of Engineering

Dept: Petrochemical Engineering

 
Catalyst Science & Technology Lab.

Exp. (3) Determination of adsorption isotherm

of acetic acid on activated charcoal.

Year
By
Mr. Mohammed Mahmoud
Email: Mohammed.babaker@uoz.edu.krd
 Aim of experiment

 Determine the adsorption constant (k).

 The maximal adsorbed amount of acetic
acid per gram of charcoal (A max) due to
langmuir isotherm.
 Theory
Adsorption is the process in which matter is extracted
from one phase and concentrated at the surface of a
second phase. (Interface accumulation).

The special solids that gas or liquid particles attached are

called adsorbent. The substances adsorbed are called
adsorbate. Adsorption is a phenomenon occurs at the
surface; the molecules are taken up by chemical or
physical attraction at the surface.

It is widely used in laboratory research and industrial

applications.
 Theory
Activated carbon is basically amorphous carbon based
material exhibiting a high degree of porosity and
interparticulate surface area.

Large surface area of activated carbon provides

excellent adsorbent characteristics. The surface area
per gram of material can range 500 to 1200 m2.

Because of its good adsorption properties they are

useful in many industrial processes. Filtration,
purification, deodorization, decolorization and
separations are the examples of these processes.
 Types of adsorption
It is classified according to the type
of attraction to two kinds:

1- Physical adsorption: it is occurred when

Vander Waals force consist between
adsorbate and adsorbent.

2- Chemical adsorption: it is involved making

chemical bond between adsorbate and
adsorbent.
 Adsorption can be classified depending upon
the number of the adsorbed layers to:

A- Uni molecular adsorption: is consisted of

one layer of adsorbed molecules.
B- Multi molecular adsorption: is consisted of
many layers of adsorbed molecules.
Chemical adsorption is monolayer only,
physical adsorption can be monolayer or
multilayer.
 Factor affecting adsorption

1- Concentration: (chemisorption one layer not

affect)
(Multilayer concentration α adsorption)
2- Temperature: (temp α 1/adsorption)
3- pH (depend on the nature of adsorbent and
adsorbate)
4- Nature of adsorbate:
a- Shape of molecule
b- Volume of molecule
c- Polarity

5- Nature of adsorbent:
a- Surface area
b- Polarity
c- Volume of pores

6- Contact time.
 Adsorption isotherm:

The process of adsorption is usually studied

through graphs called as adsorption
isotherm. It is the graph between the
amount of adsorbate adsorbed on the
surface of adsorbent with pressure or
concentration at constant temperature.
 Langmuir isotherm:

Langmuir used the following equation to study

the phenomenon of adsorption.

Where as:
m= the amount of adsorbate per gram of adsorbent. The
unit of m is (mol.g-1 )
Amax = the maximal amount of adsorbate per gram of the
adsorbent, the unit of Amax is (mol.g-1 )
K= the adsorption constant, the unit of k is (mol-1 .L)
C= the concentration of adsorbate in liquid,(mol.L-1 )
Chemical:

1) 1 M of acetic acid.
2) 0.2 M of NaOH.
3) Activated charcoal.
4) Phenolphthalein.
 Procedure
1- Prepare aqueous solution of acetic acid in to
numbered flask like the scheme given in the
following table. The total volume of each
solution is (60 mL). Use flasks fitted with
stoppers.
Flask No. 1 2 3 4 5
Acetic acid(mL) 6 12 18 30 40
Distilled water(mL) 54 48 42 30 20
Total volume 60 60 60 60 60
2- Take (5mL) from each solution and titrate with
NaOH (0.2 M) to find actual concentration for each
solution by using [ M1 V1 = M2 V2] and
phenolphthalein as indicator.
3- Write actual concentration of each numbered
solution in the table below as Ca(mol/L).
4- Using practical balance and glazed paper, weight
5 portions of activated charcoal, each portion (1g).
5- Put activated charcoal in to numbered flask
which have (55 mL) of acetic acid with stoppers (1
portion per flask).plug up the flask and shake them
for (20 minutes).it is important to put charcoal in
to flask at same time and wait for (10 minutes).
6- Filter the mixtures in to clean and dry flasks to
avoid disturbing effect of adsorption of acetic
acid in to filtering paper remove away the first
(5mL) filtration.

7- Determine the final concentration of acetic

acid Cf in each of the flask, by taking (5mL) from
each flask and titrate with (0.2M) NaOH by using
[ M1 V1 = M2 V2].

8- Write the final concentration for each solution

Cf in the previous table.
 Calculation
1- Determine the amount of acetic acid adsorbed per gram of
the charcoal m mi
(mol/g) in each flask:

where is:
Ca = actual concentration of acetic acid
Cf = final concentration of acetic acid after adsorption
VA= the volume of the liquid phase in the mixture charcoal-
acetic acid.(VA =55mL)
g= the mass of the adsorbent – charcoal (in grams)=1g , and
write down the obtained values of mi to the table (2).
 Discussion
Q1/ What are the differences between Physical
adsorption and chemical adsorption.
Q2/ What are the differences between adsorbent and
adsorbate?
Q3/ Define the following:
adsorption isobar, adsorption isotherm & adsorption
isostere
Q4/ What are the differences between adsorption and
absorption?