Development and Characterization of Activated Carbons Derived from Lignocellulosic Material

Abstract

Activated carbon is a multipurpose material due to its unique properties such as high surface area and pore volume. The reduced carbon source from coal has led to the development of activated carbon from lignocellulosic material. However, there is limited literature reported the use of swat bamboo (Gigantocholoa verticillata) as an activated carbon precursor. In this research, swat bamboo has been converted to activated carbons under different carbonization temperatures of 550, 650, and 750OC and activation durations of 1.5 and 2 h. The results show that at activation time of 1.5 h, increasing carbonization temperature affecting the higher pore volume and surface area gained. The optimal characteristics of activated carbon were obtained at a carbonization temperature of 750OC and activation time of 1.5 h. This due to the activated carbon produced in this condition has the highest pore volume, surface area, and adsorption capacity of 0.138 cm3/g, 135.30 m2/g, and 95.776 cm3/g, respectively. Its average pore diameter was 2.053 nm with fix carbon of 75.26% and C of 76.79%. It has a monomodal pore size distribution with the highest adsorption of 0.056 cm3/g/nm occurred at a pore size of 1.516 nm.