Adsorption of N-Vinylpyrrolidone from Polyvinylpyrrolidone Solution onto Bamboo-Based Activated Carbon

The adsorption of N-vinylpyrrolidone from aqueous polyvinylpyrrolidone solution using bamboo-based activated carbon was studied. The adsorption isotherms of N-vinylpyrrolidone on the carbon were determined and modeled with the Langmuir, Freundlich, and Temkin models. The Langmuir model provides the best fitting for the equilibrium data and the maximum monolayer adsorption capacity was estimated to be 833.3 mg/g. The kinetics of the adsorption process of N-vinyulpyrrolidone were modeled using various equations including pseudo first-order, pseudo second-order, and intra-particle diffusion equations. The adsorption process follows the pseudo second-order kinetic model, suggesting that the adsorption mechanism is chemisorption. The activation energy for the adsorption is 86.4 kJ/mol. Thermodynamic parameters such as Gibbs free energy, enthalpy, and entropy were determined. The positive value of enthalpy change indicates that the adsorption process is endothermic.