Interfacial Modulation Strategy for Constructing a\nHydrophobic Surface on Zeolite Template Carbon to Enhance VOCs Removal\nin High-Humidity Coal Flue Gas

Emissions\nfrom coal-fired or biomass power plants are often released\nunder conditions of high-humidity, posing significant challenges to\nthe effectiveness and durability of adsorbents and catalysts. In industrial\nsettings, adsorbents and catalysts are often deactivated due to water\npresence, which can block active sites and reduce their effectiveness.\nTraditional hydrophobic modification methods often cover these adsorption\nsites, thus reducing a material’s adsorption capacity for volatile\norganic compounds (VOCs). In this study, we propose a mild physical\nblending method, incorporating hydrophobic polymer poly(divinylbenzene)\n(PDVB) with zeolite-templated carbon (ZTC), to regulate the local\nenvironment of ZTC for capturing VOCs under humid conditions without\ndamaging the chemical structure of ZTC. Numerous characterization\nresults confirm that incorporating PDVB does not affect the structure\nof ZTC. The hydrophobic modification increased the adsorption capacity\nof ZTC by 205% at 15% water content, while the water contact angle\nincreased from 48 to 138°. Vinyl and phenyl groups in PDVB facilitated\nthe rapid repulsion of water molecules from the surface. Molecular\ndynamics simulations indicated that the hydrophobic channels promoted\nthe desorption of water molecules, and the number of escaped water\nmolecules increased by 286%. Additionally, we propose an industrial\napplication model for large-scale gas emissions with low-concentration\nVOCs under humid conditions, which enables simultaneous adsorption\nand desorption, thereby enhancing operational efficiency.