Modified silica gel and cation-exchanger based on activated carbon for fullerenes separation
Authors:   V.I. Vernadsky Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Diamant V. A. , Rozhdestvenska L. M. ,   V.I. Vernadsky Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kudelko K. O. ,   V.I. Vernadsky Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine
Published: June 2024

Fullerenes are interesting objects of research in view of their promising use as a nano-sized additive to coatings, films, adsorbents, as well as active components in medicine, pharmacy, cosmetology. This paper considers the possibility of modifying commercial adsorbents - silica gel and cation-exchanger based on activated carbon with available and inexpensive linear carbon radicals. Behentrimonium chloride (C22H45(CH3)3N+Cl-) and cetyl alcohol (C16H33OН) were chosen as the latter. The obtained adsorbents were compared with a commercial sample of silica gel modified with a linear hydrocarbon radical –C18Н37. The adsorbents were described by the methods of IR spectroscopy, thermogravimetry, the main characteristics of the porous structure were determined by the method of low-temperature adsorption-desorption of nitrogen. Modification of adsorbents based on silica gel leads to a decrease in the specific surface area to 202.4 and 236.5 m2/g and the total pore volume to 0.32 and 0.39 cm3/g, which is almost 2 half source material. Increasing the fraction of micropores contributes to better separation rates of large molecules. Treatment of cation-exchanger based on activated carbon by cation modifier leads to a significant decrease in the specific surface area, as well as to an increase in the size of pores with the predominant formation of mesopores. It is shown that the modification of silica gel is carried out both through silanol and siloxane groups, in contrast to the commercial sample of silica gel. The approximate number of modifier groups on the surface of the original SiO2 matrix was estimated, which is one modifier group ~ per 11 SiO2 molecules. To study the behavior of adsorption of C60, C70 fullerenes and their mixtures on adsorbents, column experiments were carried out with changes in the geometrical parameters of the column and the initial concentrations of the solutions. The results showed that the modified silica gels are potential adsorbents for the separation of a mixture of fullerenes with a ratio of 65/25. Silica gel modified with cetyl alcohol C16H33OH showed the best separation efficiency. By the help of an adsorbent, it is possible to separate C60 - 90.52 % from a less concentrated solution and 87.26 % from a more concentrated solution. To increase the purity of the product, it is necessary to pass the solution through the sorbent 2–3 times. The competitive capability of the proposed modified silica gels, together with economic efficiency, ease of modification, and the possibility of fullerene separation characterize the proposed adsorbents as potential materials for practical application. Due to the significantly lower cost and simpler manufacturing methods, the proposed adsorbents can be used for separation at a large scale.