Superior adsorption capacity of film typed carbon for the abatement of sulfur dioxide

In this study film typed carbons (FTC) are chemically modified to effectively adsorb SO2 with an excellent capacity, even at very high temperatures (200–300 °C). The FTC has an adsorption capacity of around 1.4 mmol/g at 300 °C, which is 460% more than the commercial activated carbons (0.25 mmol/g). The morphology, surface properties, and porous structure of the FTC were characterized using TEM, FTIR and physisorption analyses, correspondingly. From the interpretation of FTIR spectra of FTC before and after SO2 adsorption, it is believed that the carboxylate group plays an important role in the adsorption affinity of SO2 molecules. It is also found that the porous structure is kept intact after the SO2 adsorption. The FTC is therefore a promising adsorbent for SO2 abatement.