Complex investigation of cluster adsorbtion of water molecules on hydrophilic centers of graphite and graphitized thermal carbon black.

A complex theoretical-experimental investigation has been carried out on the interaction of water with hydrophilic centers-phenolic and carboxyl groups-on the surface of graphite and graphitized thermal carbon black in low surface occupation range. It is shown that microclusters, formed by the absorption on such centers, have a cyclic structure of 4–5 molecules similar to those observed in liquid water and on the surface of silver iodide. The formation of such structures is shown to be energetically advantageous. It is shown that the generalized Langmuir equation, derived from molecular-statistical considerations, is considerably better over a wide range of relative pressure for the description of the experimental isotherm for the adsorption of water on graphitized thermal carbon black and allows for a better interpretation of structural and energetic characteristics of adsorbed systems obtained by a complex of methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]