Methods of determining polar and non-polar sites on carbonaceous adsorbents. The contribution of the linear solvation energy relationship approach Review Article

Carbonaceous materials are of interest in many areas, and the study of these materials is an increasing development in fields such as environment and energy. For example, they are particularly used in the storage of gaseous combustibles and in the removal of air-pollutants. It is generally admitted that porosity and surface chemistry are the main parameters influencing the adsorptive properties of this type of material. Thus, the interactions between a solute and a solid sorbent are important factors in the understanding of adsorption phenomenon. These interactions are governed by the nature of the chemical sites at the surface of a material and their accessibility. Many methods have been developed to determine porosity data and chemical structure of the material of interest. The present study deals with the different methods which have been developed with the aim of understanding the interactions that occur in the adsorption process of a solute and carbonaceous adsorbents. These tools of surface investigations are based on physicochemical and thermodynamic methods. The present study demonstrates the contribution of the linear solvation energy relationship approach in the understanding of gas–solid interactions. Moreover, this model is a supplementary step to link the structure of a considered material and its behavior.