A comparative investigation on absorption performances of three expanded graphite-based complex materials for toluene

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Environmental Chemistry
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Toluene contamination poses environmental and health risks.
• Developing efficient and regenerable sorbent materials is crucial for environmental remediation.
• Expanded graphite is a promising base material for sorbent development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To prepare and characterize expanded graphite-based complex materials for toluene absorption.
• To investigate the toluene absorption capacities of these materials under varying conditions.
• To evaluate the regeneration performance and stability of the developed sorbents.

Main Methods:

• Dispersing plant, animal, and mineral oils onto expanded graphite surfaces.
• Characterization using scanning electron microscopy, contact angle measurement, and BET surface area analysis.
• Comparative investigation of toluene absorption capacities and regeneration experiments.

Main Results:

• All three complex materials exhibited excellent hydrophobicity, nonporosity, and high toluene absorption capacities.
• Absorption capacity correlated positively with toluene concentration and decreased with increasing temperature.
• Mineral oil-modified graphite demonstrated superior regeneration stability over 15 cycles compared to plant and animal oil variants.

Conclusions:

• Expanded graphite-based materials are effective for toluene absorption.
• The choice of oil modifier significantly impacts sorbent regeneration and long-term stability.
• Mineral oil modification offers a robust solution for toluene removal applications.