Adsorption of nitrogen and water vapour by activated Kevlar® chars

Abstract

Fibrous activated carbons were prepared from Kevlar® (i.e. poly (p-phenylene terephthalamide), in the form of a commercially available woven textile. The cloth was carbonised in nitrogen and activated in either steam or carbon dioxide to varying burn-offs at 1123 K. The resultant activated chars were characterised by nitrogen adsorption, water sorption, and elemental analysis. It was found that significant differences existed between the chars activated in steam and carbon dioxide. Kevlar® chars were found to have a greater affinity for water vapour than comparable rayon chars. The pore volume developed in Kevlar® chars tended towards a maximum value as the burn-off increased. © 1993.