ADSORPTION OF NITROGEN AND WATER-VAPOR BY ACTIVATED NOMEX(R) CHARS

Fibrous activated carbons were prepared from Nomex(R) {poly(m-phenylen e isophthalamide)}, in the form of a commercially available woven text ile. After carbonisation in nitrogen and activation in either carbon d ioxide or steam to varying burn-offs at 1123 K, the resultant activate d chars were characterised by nitrogen adsorption, water sorption, and elemental analysis. It appears that the carbonisation and activation of Nomex produced chars that were highly microporous, with little pore widening occurring even at high percentage burn-offs. Differences bet ween the chars activated in the two gases were observed and particular attention was directed towards the study of differences between Nomex chars and the materials previously prepared from the related polymer, Kevlar(R). It was found that Nomex and Kevlar chars had quite distinc tive adsorptive properties, which appear to be related to their charac teristic pore structures and to the presence of metal and nitrogen res idues.