Amination of activated carbon for enhancing phenol adsorption: Effect of nitrogen-containing functional groups

This graph displays the correlation between qm/SSABET (adsorption amount per surface area) and amount of N1(pyridinic N) + N3(pyrrolic N) at adsorption temperature of 30, 40, and 50 °C. The linear correlation coefficient (R2) greater than 0.95 shows close relation between qm/SSABET and the amount of N1 and N3. A possible mechanism was that nitrogen in pyridinic and pyrrolic groups supplied their p-electrons to the system of π-conjugated ring, which resulted in higher electron mobility of the aminated AC. So, more phenol molecules adsorbed onto AC through π electrons dispersion between phenolic ring and basal plane of the aminated AC.