Superhydrophobic activated carbon surfaces toward industrial anti-moisture adsorption of toluene

The presence of water in industrial waste gas has been demonstrated to have a deleterious effect on the adsorption of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) by activated carbon (AC). In this work, superhydrophobic nanosilica particles (HDTMS-NS) were successfully fabricated by the modification of nanosilica particles (NS) with hexadecyltrimethoxysilane (HDTMS) and deposited on the surface of AC by the spraying method. The resultant 30HS/AC demonstrated exceptional selective adsorption of toluene under humid conditions (80 % RH). The superhydrophobicity 30HS/AC (WCA = 162.4°) exhibited an augmented specific surface area and an enhanced toluene adsorption capacity compared to AC. Notably, the toluene adsorption capacity of AC decreased by 47 % when the relative humidity was increased from 0 % to 80 %, while that of 30HS/AC decreased by only 16 %. Grand Canonical Monte Carlo simulation indicate that HDTMS-NS can effectively prevent water from entering the internal pores of HS/AC. This study highlights a simple process to prepare superhydrophobic activated carbon by spraying method, which provides a promising solution for the treatment of VOCs from humid industries.