Phuong T.M. Nguyen

On The Cavitation and Pore Blocking in Cylindrical Pores with Simple Connectivity

We present a grand canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) simulation of argon adsorption in connected cylindrical pores at 87.3 K. A number of pore models are constructed from various components: finite cylinder, finite cone, and flat surface. In the case of two cylinders of different sizes connected to each other with open ends, the adsorption isotherm can be described by a combination of two independent pores, the smaller of which is opened at both ends while the larger one is closed at one end. The adsorption isotherm depends on the relative size between the two sections of the connected pore. In the case of a cavity connected to the bulk surrounding gas via one or two narrower cylindrical necks, the phenomenon of either pore blocking or cavitation is observed, depending on the relative size between the neck and the cavity. If the neck size is smaller than a critical size, D(c), we observe cavitation, while pore blocking is observed when it is greater than D(c). This is due to the dominance of one of two mechanisms for removal of the adsorbates: either the receding of the menisci or the stretching of the fluid in the cavity. We also explore the effects of neck length and cavity length on the adsorption isotherm and conclude that while the neck length has a negligible effect on cavitation, it is of considerable importance when pore blocking occurs, because this process is controlled by the formation and movement of the meniscus in the pore neck. The effect of cavity length is found to be negligible in both cases.

On the irreversibility of the adsorption isotherm in a closed-end pore

We present a simulation study of argon adsorption in a closed-end mesopore of uniform diameter in order to investigate the occurrence of hysteresis and propose two principal reasons for its existence: the variation in the shape and radius of curvature of the meniscus and the change in the packing of adsorbate during adsorption and desorption. This interpretation differs from classical theories that neglect both of these factors, and therefore find that adsorption-desorption in a closed-end pore is reversible. A detailed simulation study of the effects of temperature on the microscopic behavior of the adsorbate supports the interpretation proposed here.

Simulation study of hysteresis of argon adsorption in a conical pore and a constricted cylindrical pore

We present a detailed simulation study of the hysteresis loop in conical pores and in cylindrical pores with periodic constrictions to understand how the non-uniformity of the pore diameter along the pore axis would affect the hysteresis loop. The shape and size of the loop in the conical pores (with and without closed ends) are modified by the cone angle because of the change in the curvature of the menisci at the pore ends. In periodically constricted cylindrical pores, the shape and size of the hysteresis loop are not significantly altered by the pore length or by the presence of a closed end because condensation and evaporation in this type of pore occur in the individual pore sections. Similar hysteresis loops have been found in experimental studies, suggesting that structures of the type modelled here occur in real materials.

Adsorption in alumina pores open at one and at both ends

We have studied adsorption in regular, self-ordered alumina pores open at both ends or only at one end. The straight, non-connected pores have diameters ranging from 22 to 83 nm, with a relative dispersion below 1% in the pore size. Adsorption isotherms measured in open pores with a torsional microbalance show pronounced hysteresis loops characterized by nearly vertical and parallel adsorption and desorption branches. Blocking one end of the pores with glue has a strong influence on adsorption, as expected from classical macroscopic arguments. However, the experimental measurements show an unexpectedly rich phenomenology dependent on the pore size. For large pores (Dp ≥ 67 nm), the isotherms for closed end pores present much narrower hysteresis loops whose adsorption and desorption boundaries envelop the desorption branches of the isotherms for the corresponding open pores of the same size. The loop for small closed end pores (Dp = 22 nm) is slightly wider than that for open pores while the adsorption branches coincide. For large pores, in contrast, the desorption branches of pores with the same Dp overlap regardless of the pore opening. These observations are in agreement with our grand canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) simulations for a cylindrical pore model with constrictions, suggesting that the alumina pores could be modeled using a constricted pore model whose adsorption isotherm depends on the ratio of the constriction size to the pore size (Dc/Dp).

Computational studies of adsorption in metal organic frameworks and interaction of nanoparticles in condensed phases

In this review, we describe recent efforts to systematically study nano-structured metal organic frameworks (MOFs), also known as metal organic heat carriers, with particular emphasis on their application in heating and cooling processes. We used both molecular dynamics and grand canonical Monte Carlo simulation techniques to gain a molecular-level understanding of the adsorption mechanism of gases in these porous materials. We investigated the uptake of various gases such as refrigerants R12 and R143a. We also evaluated the effects of temperature and pressure on the uptake mechanism. Our computed results compared reasonably well with available measurements from experiments, thus validating our potential models and approaches. In addition, we investigated the structural, diffusive and adsorption properties of different hydrocarbons in Ni2(dhtp). Finally, to elucidate the mechanism of nanoparticle dispersion in condensed phases, we studied the interactions among nanoparticles in various liquids, such as n-hexane, water and methanol.

A comparative study of the adsorption of water and methanol in zeolite BEA: a molecular simulation study

Grand canonical Monte Carlo simulations were carried out to study the equilibrium adsorption concentration of methanol and water in all-silica BEA zeolite and HBEA zeolites with different Si/Al ratios over a wide range of temperatures and loadings. These zeolites have oval-shaped channels with one side longer than the other. Water sorption into the hydrophobic BEA zeolite had a sharp transition with its sorption going from zero to near full capacity over a very small pressure range. Methanol sorption was much more gradual with respect to pressure. With the addition of hydrophilic sites for the HBEA zeolites by decreasing the Si/Al ratio, adsorption at lower pressures increased significantly for water and methanol. At higher loadings, water and methanol adsorption were found to behave in fundamentally different ways. Water structures in the zeolite channels formed hydrogen-bonded chains while maximising contact with the surfaces on the longer edges of the zeolite channels. Methanol molecules, in contrast, formed very few hydrogen bonds between themselves, with their hydroxyl groups primarily binding with surface of the shorter edge of the zeolite channels and their methyl groups located near the middle of the zeolite channels. The addition of hydrophilic groups in the HBEA zeolites strongly influenced positions of the methanol hydroxyl groups at high loadings, but did not have a significant effect on water structure.