Size dependence of adsorption kinetics of nano-MgO: a theoretical and experimental study

Nanoparticles present tremendous differences in adsorption kinetics compared with corresponding bulk particles which have great influences on the applications of nanoparticles. A size-dependent adsorption kinetic theory was proposed, the relations between adsorption kinetic parameters, respectively, and particle size of nano-adsorbent were derived theoretically, and the influence mechanism of particle size on the adsorption kinetic parameters was discussed. In experiment, nanoscale magnesium oxide (nano-MgO) with different diameters between 11.5 and 41.4 nm with narrow size distribution and low agglomeration were prepared, and the kinetic parameters of adsorption of benzene on nano-MgO in aqueous solution were obtained. Then the influence regularities of the particle size on the adsorption kinetic parameters were obtained. The experimental results are consistent with the nano-adsorption kinetic theory. With particle size decreasing, the adsorption rate constant increases; the adsorption activation energy and the adsorption pre-exponential factor decrease. Furthermore, the logarithm of adsorption rate constant, the adsorption activation energy, and the logarithm of adsorption pre-exponential factor are linearly related to the reciprocal of particle diameter, respectively. The mechanism of particle size influence on the kinetic parameters is that the activation energy is influenced by the molar surface enthalpy of nano-adsorbent, the pre-exponential factor by the molar surface entropy, and the rate constant by both the molar surface enthalpy and the molar surface entropy.