A study of small angle X-ray scattering from impregnated activated carbons

A description of the incipient wetness or imbibing method of impregnating activated carbons with a variety of chemical species and at various mass loadings is given. Since the impregnants can be located in macro, meso and micropores, changes to small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) patterns should occur as impregnant is loaded into activated carbon. Using a modified Kalliat model and suitable interpretation, calculations illustrate the impacts of micropore filling and impregnant micrograins within larger pores on the SAXS patterns. SAXS measurements on a given set of impregnated carbons were used to determine the micropore volume and impregnant filling fraction as well as the impregnant micrograin volume. SAXS is demonstrated to be a useful tool for examining the distribution of chemical impregnant in microporous carbon materials.