The process of palladium(II) chloride
complex ion adsorption on
activated carbon was investigated. The influence of variable parameters
such as the initial concentration of the Pd(II) complex (from 0.04
to 2.25 mmol·kg–1) and temperature (from 294
to 348 K) was determined. Experiments were conducted in the solution
with pH equal to 0 and 1. It was found that the Freundlich adsorption
isotherm describes the process better than the Langmuir model. The
observed sorption capacity as high as q
294K = 42.4 mg·g–1 and q
323K = 67 mg·g–1 for activated carbon
was found at 294 and 323 K, and it is increasing with temperature
increase. The obtained results showed that the palladium(II) complex
may react with functional groups present on the surface of activated
carbon. The thermodynamic parameters such as the equilibrium constant
and heat and entropy of adsorption were derived. The enthalpy value
is equal to −6.7 kJ·mol–1, and the entropy
is equal to −23 J·mol–1·K–1. It is suggested that, during chemisorption of palladium(II) chloride
complex ions, the palladium dichloro-oxide or PdCl2 is
formed on the surface of activated carbon.