Ethane adsorption on aggregates of dahlia-like nanohorns: experiments and computer simulations

BA Russell and AD Migone and J Petucci and MM Calbi and M Yudasaka and S Iijima, PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY CHEMICAL PHYSICS, 18, 15436-15446 (2016).

DOI: 10.1039/c6cp01861k

This is a report on a study of the adsorption characteristics of ethane on aggregates of unopened dahlia-like carbon nanohorns. This sorbent presents two main groups of adsorption sites: the outside surface of individual nanohorns and deep, interstitial spaces between neighbouring nanohorns towards the interior of the aggregates. We have explored the equilibrium properties of the adsorbed ethane films by determining the adsorption isotherms and isosteric heat of adsorption. Computer simulations performed on different model structures indicate that the majority of ethane adsorption occurs on the outer region of the aggregates, near the ends of the nanohorns. We have also measured the kinetics of adsorption of ethane on this sorbent. The measurements and simulations were conducted along several isotherms spanning the range between 120 K and 220 K.

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