Composites with macroporous poly(vinyl alcohol) cryogels with attached activated carbon microparticles with controlled accessibility of a surface

A set of glutaraldehyde (GA) cross-linked poly-(vinyl alcohol)/activated carbon (PVA/GA/AC) composites prepared in the form of monolithic rods using a cryogelation technique and studied using adsorption, mercury porosimetry, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and quantum chemistry methods display porosity similar to that of PVA/GA cryogel at a high GA content (content ratio GA/AC = 1 and GA/PVA = 0.2). GA cross-linked PVA multilayer coverage is an effective barrier for adsorption on AC particles. Variations in surface chemistry (AC initial and oxidized in air at 300 °C for 12 h) and content (14-62.5%w/w) of ACs in PVA/GA/AC composites relatively weakly affect their textural characteristics at a high GA content (specific surface area SBET < 120 m2/g, pore volume Vp < 0.35 cm3/g). However, PVA/GA/AC composite rods formed with a lower concentration of GA (content ratio GA/AC = 1/6 and GA/PVA = 1/10) have significantly greater SBET (∼500 m2/g) and Vp (>0.55 cm3/g) values because of improved accessibility of the AC surface. This provides better adsorption of methylene blue as a probe compound.