Specific and nonspecific interactions between methanol and ethanol and active carbons

The interaction of methanol and ethanol with active carbons of different or igins and containing between 0.81 and 7 mmol g(-1) surface oxygen has been examined by immersion calorimetry and by vapor adsorption at 293 K, benzene being the reference. The results obtained by these independent techniques are in excellent agreement. With respect to pure carbons, the surface oxyge n leads to excess enthalpies of immersion of 5.32 and 2.64 J mmol(-1) oxyge n for methanol and ethanol. Alternatively, it appears that the affinity coe fficients beta(CH3OH) and beta(C2H5OH), which appear in the Dubinin-Astakho v equation, are functions of the oxygen content and of the enthalpy of imme rsion into benzene. The limiting values, as the oxygen content tends to zer o, are respectively 0.40 and 0.62, in agreement with the values quoted in t he literature. It is also found that the adsorption of CO2 is not affected by the oxygen content of the surface and beta(CO2) = 0.40.