The effect of water uptake in ultramicropores on the adsorption of water vapour in activated carbon

The kinetics of the adsorption of water vapour on activated carbon were investigated. The experimental data show two adsorption mechanisms: a rather fast one and a very slow one. The first one has been modeled previously. The latter is found to be the result of water penetrating into ultramicropores with dimensions comparable to that of the water molecules. The slow kinetics could be explained by the formation of nanochains, not unlike the mechanism that has been demonstrated for water adsorption through nanogates in nanohorns.