An evaluation of the reliability of the characterization of the porous structure of activated carbons based on incomplete nitrogen adsorption isotherms

The paper presents the results of research devoted to reliability evaluation of the analysis of results of the porous structure of activated carbons based on incomplete nitrogen adsorption isotherms using the BET, t-plot, and NLDFT methods, as well as the LBET method comprising the unique numerical fast multivariant procedure of adsorption system identification. The research involved the application of the nitrogen adsorption isotherms obtained for five samples of activated carbons produced from waste materials of organic origin by way of chemical activation with potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, and potassium carbonate with the use of microwave heating. The analyses performed pointed to a good correlation between the results obtained using the BET, t-plot, NLDFT, and LBET methods. Moreover, the parameters of the porous structure determined using these methods based on incomplete adsorption isotherms of nitrogen are in fact as reliable as these methods allow.