The main objective of the project was to develop adsorbents and ion-exchangers on the base of activated carbons and inorganic oxides and phosphates for industrially important adsorptive and catalytic processes. Microporous carbons with uniform and homogeneous microporosity were prepared from coconut shells, olive stones and peach stones by physical and chemical methods. Immersion calorimetry and adsorption kinetics measurements showed that these carbons have molecular sieving properties, and have potential industrial applications.
Porous inorganic ionites and composite carbon-mineral adsorbents on the basic of titanium and zirconium phosphates, hydroxophosphates, silicates and alumina-phosphosilicates were prepared. Their porous structure and ion exchange properties were studied. The materials synthesized, especially modified samples (adsorption of heteropolyacids, deposition titan-silicates in pore of active carbons), have a high affinity towards ions of heavy metals and radioisotopes of Cs and Sr.
The experimental procedures for the preparation of active carbons from fruit stones and polycondensated resins have allowed the producing of special modified forms of them. The methods of modification provide the introduction N, S and P heteroatoms in the structure of active carbon, oxidation of surface and preparing so-called oxidized carbons with wide distribution of protonogenic functional groups. Preliminary characterization of sorption and ion exchange capacities of new materials have been carried out. New types of activated carbons were prepared with different physical forms, mainly granulated and fiber forms. In some specific cases the technology of production of such activated carbons was developed and tested at pilot plant scale (Experimental Plant of ISPE).
Some of the carbons and inorganic materials were used, after modification of the chemistry of their surface, in particular by noble metals, as catalysts or catalyst supports. The catalysts were characterized and tested for industrially interesting reactions of gas-phase oxidation and in the reaction of fine chemistry (selective hydrogenation).
