Investigation of the effect of the key pore size on the radon adsorption performance by combining grand canonical Monte Carlo and activated carbon modification experiments

Radon (Rn) is an important contributing factor to lung cancer. Activated carbon (AC) is currently the only Rn adsorbent for industrial applications. However, the effect of the key pore size of AC on Rn adsorption remains unclear, and enhancement of the Rn adsorption performance when using AC is still a challenge. In this work, grand canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) simulations were performed to simulate the Rn adsorption ability of AC with different pore sizes. The adsorption selectivity of AC with pore sizes from 0.42 nm to 0.60 nm for Rn in the atmospheric environment was much greater than that for nitrogen and oxygen. The Rn adsorption performance was also investigated using KOH-modified activated carbon (KAC) with different pore sizes experimentally prepared using high-temperature roasting. The results showed that when the pore volume of KAC was significantly increased to approximately 0.55 nm, the Rn adsorption performance was obviously improved. Its adsorption coefficient reached 6.50 ± 0.11 m3 kg−1, which was 46.7 % higher than that of AC. After heating and regeneration in air, the Rn adsorption performance of KAC was basically unchanged. Combined with the comparative analysis using theoretical and experimental results, the relationship between the Rn adsorption performance of KAC and the pore volume at 0.55 nm is determined, and the accuracy of the GCMC calculation results was substantiated. This research provides a theoretical basis and an experimental method for improving the Rn adsorption performance of AC.