Adsorption of vitamin E on mesoporous carbon molecular sieves

The adsorption of vitamin E onto mesoporous carbons CMK-1 and CMK-3 from vitamin E solutions with different concentrations in nonpolar (n-heptane) and polar (n-butanol) solvent has been studied for the first time, and the results are compared to a conventional inicroporous carbon adsorbent, activated carbon. The amount of vitamin E adsorption on the different adsorbents depends on the solvent as well as the inesopore volume and the surface area of the adsorbent. It has been found that n-heptane is preferred to achieve a maximum amount of vitamin E adsorption. Among the carbon materials studied, CMK-3 shows the highest vitamin E adsorption due to the large specific mesopore volume of this adsorbent. CMK-3 was characterized after vitamin E adsorption to confirm the structure of the adsorbent and prove that the adsorption takes place in the channels of the mesoporous carbon adsorbent. XRD and nitrogen adsorption data recorded after vitamin E adsorption confirm the tight packing of the vitamin E molecules inside the mesopores of CMK-3.