Main Article Content

Abstract

Activated carbon adsorbent was prepared using Omani date palm tree stem as a precursor. Precursor samples were subjected to thermal treatment (at 400, 500 and 600 oC) before or after impregnation with either H3PO4 (85 wt %) or KOH (3 wt %). The activated carbon obtained was characterized by BET (surface area and porosity), Gas Pycnometry (true density) and SEM (texture). Sample subjected to carbonization, without chemical activation, exhibited low surface areas ~ 1.0 m2/g at 400 and 500 oC and 124 m2/g at 600 oC. Further treatment of such samples with either the acid or the base did not show improvement in surface area or other properties. Impregnations of the precursor with acid before carbonization significantly improved the surface area to as high as 1,100 m2/g at a carbonization temperature of 500 oC. Thus, activated carbon with a moderate surface area could be produced from date palm stem using low carbonization temperature.

 

Keywords

Activated carbon Chemical activation BET surface area Porosity SEM Date palm stem

Article Details

How to Cite
Houache, O., Al-Maamari, R., Al-Rashidi, B., & Jibril, B. (2008). Study of Date Palm Stem as Raw Material in Preparation of Activated Carbon. The Journal of Engineering Research [TJER], 5(1), 47–54. https://doi.org/10.24200/tjer.vol5iss1pp47-54

References

  1. Al-Rashdi, B., 2004, Preparation of Activated Carbon from Date Palm Stem,” Final Year Student Project, Department of Petroleum & Chemical Engineering, Sultan Qaboos University, Oman.
  2. Attia, A.A., 1997, "Some Surface Properties of Activated Carbons prepared by Gasification with different Gases," Adsorpt. Sci. Technol. Vol. 15, pp. 707-715.
  3. Benaddi, H., Bandosz, T.J., Jagiello, J., Schwarz, J.A., Rouzaud, J.N., Legras, D. and Béguin, F., 2005, "Surface Functionality and Porosity of Activated Carbons obtained from Chemical Activation of Wood," Carbon, Vol. 38, pp. 669-674.
  4. Byrne, E. and Nagle, D.C., 1997, "Carbonization of Wood for Advanced Materials Applications," Carbon, Vol. 35, pp. 259-266.
  5. Cai, Q., Huang, Z.H., Kang, F. and Yang, J.B., 2004, "Preparation of Activated Carbon Microspheres from Phenolic-Resin by Supercritical Water Activation," Carbon, Vol. 42, pp. 775-783.
  6. Carvalho, A.P., Cardoso, B., Pires, J. and Brotas de Carvalho, M., 2003, "Preparation of Activated Carbons from Cork Waste by Chemical Activation with KOH," Carbon, Vol. 41, pp. 2873-2876.
  7. Caturla, F., Molina Sabio, M. and Rodríguez-Reinoso, F., 1991, "Preparation of Activated Carbon by Chemical Activation with ZnCl2 ," Carbon, Vol. 29, pp. 999- 1007.
  8. Daifullah, A.A.M. and Girgis, B.S., 2003, “Impact of Surface Characteristics of Activated Carbon on Adsorption of BTEX,” Physicochem Eng. Asp. Vol. 214, pp. 181-193.
  9. Gergova, K. and Eser, S., 1996, "Effects of Activation Method on the Pore Structure of Activated Carbons from Apricot Stones," Carbon, Vol. 34, pp. 879-888.
  10. Girgis, B.S. and El-Hendawy, A.A., 2002, "Porosity Development in Activated Carbons Obtained from Date Pits under Chemical Activation with Phosphoric Acid," Micro. Meso. Mater. Vol. 52, pp. 105-117.
  11. Jagtoyen, M., Thwaites, M., Stencel, J., McEnaney, B. and Derbyshire, F., 1992, "Adsorbent Carbon Synthesis from Coals by Phosphoric Acid Activation," Carbon, Vol. 30, pp. 1089-1096.
  12. Kidena, K., Matsumoto, M., Katsuyama, S., Murata, S. and Nomura, M., 2004, “Development of Aromatic Ring Size in Bituminous Coals during Heat Treatment in the Plastic Temperature Range,” Fuel Proc. Techn. Vol. 85, pp. 827-835.
  13. Liou, T.H., 2004, "Evolution of Chemistry and Morphology during the Carbonization and Combustion of Rice Husk," Carbon, Vol. 42, pp. 785- 794.
  14. Lua, A.C. and Yang, T., 2004, "Effects of Vacuum Pyrolysis Conditions on the Characteristics of Activated Carbons Derived from Pistachio-Nut Shells," J. Coll. Interface Sci. Vol. 276, pp. 364-372.
  15. Luehrs, D.C., Rogers, T.N. and Godbole, K.A., 1998
  16. "Partition Coefficients of Organic Solutes between Water and Activated Carbon," Encyclopedia of Environmental Analysis and Remediation, Meyers RA, (ed): John Wiley & Sons. pp 3404-3415.
  17. Molina-Sabio, M., RodRíguez-Reinoso, F., Caturla, F. and Sellés, M.J., 1995, "Porosity in Granular Carbons Activated with Phosphoric Acid," Carbon, Vol. 33, pp. 1105-1113.
  18. Nagano, S., Tamon, H., Adzumi, T., Nakagawa, K. and Suzuki, T., 2000, "Activated Carbon from Municipal Waste," Carbon, Vol. 38, pp. 915-920.
  19. Pelekani, C. and Snoeyink, V.L., 2000, "Competitive Adsorption between Atrazine and Methylene Blue on Activated Carbon: the importance of pore size distribution", Carbon, Vol. 38, pp. 1423-1436.
  20. Plante, P., Roy, C. and Chornet, E., 1988, "CO2 Gasification of Wood Charcoals Derived from Vacuum and Atmospheric Pyrolysis," Can. J. Chem. Eng. Vol. 66, pp. 307-312.
  21. Shih, C.C. and Chang, J.R., 2005, "Genesis and Growth of Platinum Subnano-Particles on Activated-Carbon Characterized by X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy: Effects of Preparation Conditions," Mater. Chem. Phy, Vol. 92, pp. 89-97.
  22. Teng, H., Sheng Yeh and Li-Y Hsu, 1998, “Preparation of Activated Carbon from Bituminous Coal with Phosphoric Acid Activation,” Carbon, pp. 1387-1395.
  23. Wartelle, L., Marshall, W., Toles, C. and Johns, M., 2000, "Comparison of Nutshell Granular Activated Carbons to Commercial Adsorbents for the Purgeand- Trap Gas Chromatographic Analysis of Volatile Organic Compounds," J. Chrom. A, Vol. 879, pp. 169-175.
  24. Wigmans, T., 1989, "Industrial Aspects of Production and
  25. use of Activated Carbons," Carbon, Vol. 27, pp. 13- 22.
  26. Yalçιn, N. and Sevinç, V., 2000, "Studies of the Surface Area and Porosity of Activated Carbons prepared from Rice Husks," Carbon, Vol. 38, pp. 1943-1945.