1,2-dichlorobenzene gas-phase adsorption onto Nd3+exchanged faujasite 13X beads- Influence of the exchange rate on adsorbed amounts and desorption temperatures

Aromatic chlorinated compounds, such as 1,2-dichlorobenzene, are considered as precursors of dioxin formation and their removal from flue gas using adsorption technology could be a solution. Faujasite type zeolites seem to be the most promising adsorbent, as the size of its porosity matches the size of the molecule. Even though the cationic faujasites are hydrophilic, the strength of interaction of chlorinated aromatic compounds adsorbed in porosity are higher than with more silicic faujasite such as FAU-NaY. FAU-NaX commercial beads have been Nd3+ exchanged at different rates. Dichlorobenzene dynamic gas adsorption has been performed via a thermobalance with vapours at concentration of 938 ppm in nitrogen gas flow and the quantities absorbed have been recorded during time. Then, from the coupling of a thermobalance with an in-line mass spectrometer, the desorbed quantities and desorption temperatures have been measured for both water and dichlorobenzene. Total quantities of 1,2-dichlorobenzene adsorbed onto partially exchanged FAU-Nd-NaX zeolites increases with the exchange rate: it has been measured a capacity of 23.3 wt % (relative to activated zeolite) for the most exchanged FAU-Nd-NaX at exchange rate of 53.6 %. For that zeolite, 74.7 % of the 1,2-dichlorobenzene is adsorbed at high-energy bonds with cations, desorbable at temperatures higher than 160 degrees C. The desorption temperature of dichlorobenzene decreases from 380 to 310 degrees C for FAU-NaX and the FAU-Nd-NaX at exchange rate of 53.6 % and remains higher than that of water. So that, thermal-desorption remains a separative process between water and chlorinated molecules previously adsorbed on cationic faujasites.