Preparation of Nanoporous Graphene via Nanoporous Zinc Oxide and its Application as a Nanoadsorbent for Benzene, Toluene and Xylenes Removal

Nanoporous graphene which is used as nanosorbent was synthesized by chemical vapor deposition method via porous zinc oxide nanocatalyst. The reaction was carried out using methane as the carbon source and hydrogen as the carrier gas in a ratio of 4:1 at the temperature ranging 900-1050°C for 2-50 min. The product was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, thermal gravimetric analysis, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller method, x-ray diffraction, Raman and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The adsorption of benzene, toluene and xylenes on to nanoporous graphene was studied. Due to the high pore volume (1.17 cm3/g), large specific surface area (410 m2/g) and small pore size, high adsorption capacity was achieved. Maximum sorption capacity of this nanosorbent for benzene, toluene and xylenes was 118.83,123.45 and 125.36 g/g nanosorbent, respectively. According to the satisfactory results achieved, nanoporous graphene can be used as a good carbon nanostructure sorbent in the removal of benzene, toluene and xylenes.