Author(s): Henrique, Adriano ; Zafanelli, Lucas F.A.S. ; Aly, Ezzeldin ; Steldinger, Hendryk ; Gläsel, Jan ; Rodrigues, Alírio ; Etzold, Bastian J.M. ; Silva, José A.C.
Date: 2023
Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10198/31033
Origin: Biblioteca Digital do IPB
Subject(s): RON improvement of gasoline; Pentane and hexane isomers separation by adsorption; 3D-printed carbon monoliths
Hierarchically structured 3D-printed porous carbons monoliths were investigated for their applicability in adsorptive n/iso-paraffin separation. Three materials of the same macroscopic shape were employed, which varied in the micro- and mesoporosity by altering the final CO2 activation step: non-activated and activated at 1133 K for 6 and 12 h, respectively. Chromatographic breakthrough experiments were conducted for pentane and hexane isomer mixtures at industrially relevant separation conditions. Results demonstrated that the initial porosity for the non-activated monolith enables the complete separation of linear paraffins from their branched isomers (slightly adsorbed) via a near molecular sieving effect. The Langmuir isotherm conveniently fitted the adsorption equilibrium data, and a dynamic mathematical model suitably predicted the breakthrough curves. Regarding the CO2 activated monoliths, both showed adsorption towards all alkanes with practically no selectivity between them.
