Obtaining of Activated Carbon Adsorbents Based on Wood Waste Material via Chemical Activation

The paper investigates the possibility of producing a cost-effective activated carbon (AC) from lignocellulosic waste biomass, whose application is most often as an adsorbent removal of impurities and toxic substances from liquid and gas phases. A two stage laboratory technology was used for this purpose - carbonization and chemical activation with potassium hydroxide. The obtained AC samples were characterized using Elemental composition analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), SEM and Specific surface area analyzer, using Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis. The obtained results show achieving good characteristics of the obtained adsorbing materials.

I. Introduction

Activated carbons (AC) are very often used as a sorbent material in the process of gaseous or water purification. Detoxification of industrial waste water from heavy metal ions can be done through the method of adsorption. The contaminant ions can be adsorbed, due to the highly porous structure of ACs and the ability to absorb dissolved organic and inorganic substances, some pesticides, pharmaceuticals etc. The widely used material for production of ACs is based on carbon rich organic material. Nowadays from the ecological aspect waste biomass are among the most used raw material. For example, coconut shells, almond shells, bamboo, banana peels, corn cobs, rice bran, grape processing industry waste, wastes from the wood industry, agricultural by-product, etc. [1], [2]. The woody biomass contains cellulose, lignin and hemicellulose in their structure. This is also a relatively low cost source for AC obtaining with good characteristics and well developed surface can be achieved [3].