Treating n-butane by activated carbon and metal oxides

ABSTRACT

In order to reduce environmental pollution and regulatory issues, the adsorption of n-butane from vehicle exhaust is one of the necessary requirements. When active carbon was mixed with different proportions of metal oxides, the adsorption capacity of n-butane was markedly improved. Infrared spectroscopy data provided information on functional groups derived from activated carbon composite metal oxide indicating that one of the best adsorption capacities for n-butane was obtained by mixing 3 g TiO₂, 2.7 g CuO, and 2.1 g NaBO₃·4H₂O with 30 g activated carbon. However, more effective results were obtained by mixing 6 g TiO₂, 2.1 g CuO, and 0.9 g NaBO₃·4H₂O with 30 g activated carbon. Data suggest that these chemical complexes may be effective in lowering n-butane pollution.

KEYWORDS:

• Activated carbon
• metal oxides
• adsorption
• n-butane
• FT-IR

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This study was financially supported by the National 948 Plan [grant number 2014-4-38]; the Planned Science and Technology Project of Hunan Province, China [grant number 2016SK2089], [grant number 2016RS2011]; major scientific and technological achievements transformation projects of strategic emerging industries in Hunan Province [grant number 2016GK4045]; the Postgraduate's Technological and Innovative Project in Hunan Province of China [grant number CX2016B321]; the Postgraduate's Technological and Innovative Project of Central South University of Forestry and Technology [grant number CX2016B06].