Peculiarities of the interaction of ε-caprolactam with the surface of active carbons

The properties of two active carbons before and after the adsorption of ε-caprolactam were studied by IR spectroscopy, XRD analysis, and electron microscopy. It was established that the adsorption of ε-caprolactam from aqueous solutions onto the active carbons is controlled by three types of adsorption interactions: micropore volume filling, hydrogen-bond interaction with functional carboxy groups at the surface of mesopores, and dispersion interaction (leading to the formation of ε-caprolactam aggregates).