SYNTHESIS OF ACTIVATED CARBON FROM STYRENE DIVINYL BENZENE POLYMER RESIN

Abstract

The current study focuses on the synthesis of activated carbon from styrene divinyl benzene polymer (SDVB) resins using carbonization followed by oxidation using CO₂ as the activating agent. The effect of several synthesis parameters including N₂ gas flow rate, temperature, rate of heating or ramp, time during the carbonization process, as well as the CO₂ gas flow rate, temperature, and time during the activation process on the textural properties of the obtained carbon sample, like surface area and pore volume, has been investigated. The optimum parameters established for the carbonization process are 300 ml/min as the N₂ gas flow rate, 700°C as the temperature, and 6°C/min of the ramp. Increasing gas flowrates and temperature only to certain range results in higher specific surface area (SSA) obtained during carbonization, whereas the decreased rate of heating shows a positive effect in SSA of the obtained carbon sample. The optimum parameters obtained for the activation process are 100 ml/min of N₂ gas flow rate, 100 ml/min as the CO₂ gas flow rate, 700°C as the temperature and 6°C/min of the ramp. The maximum surface area obtained at the optimum synthesis conditions is 881 m²/g. It is observed that during activation, lower temperature and intermediate treatment (1 h) resulted in the maximum SSA of the activated carbon. Overall, it can be said that a protocol for obtaining the maximum surface area of activated carbon has been developed based on the in-depth study of carbonization and activation during the synthesis of activated carbon.