Novel modified activated carbons (ACs) with enhanced adsorptive properties were obtained coating by chitosan (CS), polyethylene glycol (PEG) and blends of the two polymers (0:1, 1:0, 1:1, 1:2 and 2:1 wt/wt) on ACs by an impregnation technique. The adsorption performances of the pristine, acidified and polymer-impregnated ACs were studied using methylene blue as a model adsorbate. The adsorbents were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and abrasion hardness tests. The average coating thicknesses were between 10 to 23 microns. The pore sizes, pore densities and pore capacities of the activated carbons increased as the wt-% PEG in the coating increased. The highest adsorption capacity (424.7 mg/g) was obtained for the chitosan-coated ACs and this adsorption was well described by the Langmuir isotherm model. The kinetic results were best described by the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The highest rate constant was obtained with the ACs modified with the CS:PEG (2:1) coating and this result was almost 2.6 times greater than that of the unmodified ACs. The CS/PEG impregnated ACs also displayed superior hardness (~90%), compared to unmodified ACs (~85%). Overall the chitosan had a greater effect on improving adsorption capacity whereas the polyethylene glycol enhanced the adsorption rate.
