Binary adsorption isotherms of two ionic liquids and ibuprofen on an activated carbon cloth: simulation and interpretations using statistical and COSMO-RS models

The adsorption equilibriums of binary mixtures of the 4-tert-butyl-1-propylpyridinium bromide (referred to IL1) and 4-tert-butyl-1-(2 carboxyethyl) pyridinium bromide (referred to IL2) ionic liquids and ibuprofen (2-(4-(2-methylpropyl) phenyl) propanoic acid: IBP) on activated carbon cloth were investigated. The binary adsorption isotherms of the studied systems (IL1/IL2, IL1/IBP and IL2/IBP) have been studied in different conditions (different temperatures ranging from 286 to 313 K and at various concentration ratios 0.5, 1 and 2). The experimental isotherms have been simulated by some new statistical physics models established from the grand canonical ensemble. According to the most appropriate model, the adsorbed ILs and IBP molecules are assumed to be parallel to the activated cloth surface. An inhibition effect has been observed between the adsorbed molecules. The determination of the monolayer adsorbed uptake at saturation has shown an endothermic adsorption process of IBP and an exothermic one of IL1 and IL2. The estimated energy values demonstrate a physical adsorption whatever the adsorbate species. The microscopic adsorption process was interpreted from the point of view of molecular stereography and interaction energy. Moreover, a conductor-like screening model for real solvents (COSMO-RS) has been applied to calculate three specific interaction energies between the adsorbate molecules and a graphene layer modeling the activated carbon surface, i.e., the electrostatic misfit energy (E-MF), the hydrogen-bonding energy (E-HB) and the van der Waals energy (E-vdW).