Ammonia, cyclohexane, nitrogen and water adsorption capacities of an activated carbon impregnated with increasing amounts of ZnCl(2), and designed to chemisorb gaseous NH(3) from an air stream.

The adsorption capacity of ZnCl(2)-impregnated activated carbon (AC) for NH(3) is reported in terms of stoichiometric ratio of reaction (NH(3) per ZnCl(2)). This ratio depends on the testing conditions used. Compared to the ratio obtained under dry conditions, the ratio is higher under humid conditions or increased NH(3) concentrations. The linear increase of the NH(3) capacity with increasing loading of ZnCl(2) breaks down at about 3.5 mmol ZnCl(2)/g AC. This behavior is explained in terms of preferential adsorption of a monolayer of salt followed by aggregation of the impregnant once a monolayer is completed. The effect of increasing the loading of ZnCl(2) on the capacity for gases for which the impregnants are not intended, namely cyclohexane, nitrogen, and water vapor, is also discussed. A break in the linear relationship between water capacity and impregnant loading at about 3.5 mmol ZnCl(2) seems to correspond to a full monolayer coverage of ZnCl(2) on AC. The monolayer of ZnCl(2) is shown to reduce the uptake of water into AC, while the ZnCl(2) aggregates are shown to be hydrophilic.