Adsorption of binary gas mixtures in ion-exchanged forms of mordenite

Abstract

Pure-component adsorption isotherms of CO, CO₂, N₂ and CH₄ and multicomponent isotherms of CO + CO₂, CO₂+ N₂ and CO₂+ CH₄ on mordenite were measured at 273, 258 and 243 K. No evidence of enhanced sorption of one component over the other was found. Adsorption of gas mixtures on different exchanged mordenites reveals that the separation ability increases with increasing electrostatic field in the adsorption cavities. The effect of the nature of the entering gas molecules on the separation is explained by the cationic and non-cationic specific character of the adsorption process. The temperature sensitivity and selectivity of the individual components influence the extent of the competition so that the separation increases significantly with decreasing adsorption temperature. The highest separation of gas mixtures into their pure components was observed at low adsorption temperatures, low percentages of CO₂ in the residual gas phase and at high total equilibrium pressures.