Gas adsorption microcalorimetry and modelling to characterise zeolites and related materials

The present work shows how gas adsorption microcalorimetry is a particularly powerful experimental technique as it allows both an in depth examination of the surface state of adsorbents and a minute following of adsorption mechanisms such as phase changes and transitions. Several examples are thus given with zeolites and related materials which can be considered as model adsorbents showing the information that can be obtained at low temperature (77 K) and at room temperature. In the later sections, the increasing importance of modelling is highlighted as a tool to complete experiments and to gain a greater understanding of the microscopic mechanisms in play during adsorption phenomena. (c) 2005 Academie des sciences. Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.