Adsorption from benzene-ethanol binary solutions on activated carbons with different contents of oxygen surface complexes

Adsorption from benzene-ethanol binary solutions on preparations of modified activated carbon CWZ-3 containing different amounts of oxygen bound to the surface was investigated. The modification was carried out in such a way that the porous structure of the carbons was but slightly affected. However, significant differences were observed in the total contents of oxygen as well as in the particular types of oxygen surface functional groups (especially of strongly acidic character). It was found that the higher the contents of those groups the stronger is the preference to adsorb the more polar component of the solution. The most significant role should be ascribed here to carboxylic and phenolic groups which can give hydrogen bonds with alcohol molecules.