The interfacial interaction of activated carbon with volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is seriously affected by water vapor. Therefore, it is vital to enhance the hydrophobic performance of activated carbon for expanding its application in industrial and environmental fields. Herein, a series of hydrophobic activated carbon was fabricated by tailored mixed siloxane and applied in dynamic competitive adsorption at 0, 50, and 90% humidity. Simultaneously, the diffusion molecular models and multicomponent adsorption experiments were used to study the adsorption and diffusion mechanisms. The hydrophobicity of activated carbon was significantly improved by loading of mixed siloxane, in which the equilibrium water absorption decreased from 21.9 to 7.2% and the contact angles increased by 70.10°. Meanwhile, dynamic competitive adsorption at different humidities indicated that the siloxane-functionalized activated carbons (SACs) showed much better competitive adsorption performances for VOCs than original activated carbon, which was further confirmed by the theoretical calculations of adsorption energy. In addition, a remarkable adsorption selectivity and reusability could be demonstrated to VOCs with different polarities on SACs. This study not only provides a new strategy for the hydrophobic modification of activated carbon materials but also offers theoretical guidance for the treatment of gas streams with significant water contents.
Keywords: activated carbon; adsorption mechanism; competitive adsorption; hydrophobic modification; theoretical calculation.