Gas adsorption properties of woodceramics

Abstract

Gas adsorption properties of woodceramics prepared from cedar (Cryptomeria japonica, abbreviated as CE), apple waste (AP), and chicken waste (CH) were studied. Depending on the starting material, woodceramics differed in physisoiption properties as evaluated by specific surface area (SSA) obtained by BET (Brunauer-Emmett-Teller) method, in pore structure and size, and in chemical adsorption properties for perfumery substances. CH and AP yielded lower SSA as compared with CE, however, they showed higher gas selectivity for oxygen vs nitrogen gas molecules. The adsorption ability of CE on perfumery essential oil components was evaluated for the first time using the rapid measuring method for VOCs; i.e., the adsorption capacity of cedar-based woodceramics for perfumery materials (essential oil extracts: carvone, pulegone, geraniol, citronellol, menthone, nerol, and citral) was examined. CE showed particularly strong affinity with geraniol and citral, in which more than 99.9% of the compounds were adsorbed. About 99.7-99.8% of pulegone and menthone, 99.0% of nerol, 97.9% of carvone, and 94.0% of citronellol were adsorbed by CE. The adsorption affinity was also influenced by the particle size; particles coarser than 4.0mm in size showed stronger adsorption. © 2005 The Japan Institute of Metals.