2013 Volume 39 Issue 3 Pages 231-237
Moisture adsorbent was prepared from fly ash treated by heating (FA, FA300, FA500, and FA700) or alkaline hydration (FA48, FA60, and FA72). Ash content, specific surface area, pore volume, mean pore diameter, X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy of the adsorbents were investigated. Among the adsorbents, FA60 had the highest specific surface area (85.7 m2/g) and the highest amount of moisture adsorbed/desorbed, which indicated that adsorption mechanism was related to the specific surface area, the pore volume, and hydrophilicity or hydrophobicity of adsorbent. Adsorption/desorption isotherms of moisture were fitted to the BET equation. FA60 had a humidity control capacity of 116.8 mg/g and was usable for repeated adsorption/desorption of moisture. The results suggest that moisture adsorbent prepared from fly ash has the potential for practical application.
