Surface Area and Adsorption
[caption id="attachment_6504" align="alignright" width="480"] Activated Carbon - CC-2.5 by Ravedave[/caption] Surface area? What's that? And how does it affect physical properties? There are two similar words in the English language: absorption and adsorption. While they are related, they are at the same time distinctly separate. Absorption, simply put, is sucking into the interior or volume of something. Water, for instance, is sucked into the volume of a sponge. The water is held throughout the sponge. Adsorption Adsorption is a surface phenomenon. A substance that is adsorbed is adsorbed onto the surface. It does not enter into the interior or volume of the adsorbing agent. The difference in these physical processes determines the most efficient form the absorbing or adsorbing agent should assume. [caption id="attachment_15070" align="alignright" width="340"] Zeolite Materials for Methane…