Optimization of Activated Carbons Prepared by H₃PO₄ and Steam Activation of Oil Palm Shells

Abstract

In this study, activated carbons were prepared from oil palm shells by physicochemical activation. The methodology of experimental design was used to optimize the preparation conditions. The influences of the impregnation ratio (0.6–3.4) and the activation temperature between 601°C and 799°C on the following three responses: activated carbon yield (R/AC-H3PO4), the iodine adsorption (I2/AC-H3PO4), and the methylene blue adsorption (MB/AC-H3PO4) results were investigated using analysis of variance (ANOVA) to identify the significant parameters. Under the experimental conditions investigated, the activation temperature of 770°C and impregnation ratio of 2/1 leading to the R/AC-H3PO4of 52.10%, theI2/AC-H3PO4of 697.86 mg/g, and the MB/AC-H3PO4of 346.25 mg/g were found to be optimum conditions for producing activated carbon with well compromise of desirability. The two factors had both synergetic and antagonistic effects on the three responses studied. The micrographs of activated carbons examined with scanning electron microscopy revealed that the activated carbons were found to be mainly microporous and mesoporous.

Optimization Conditions of the Preparation of Activated Carbon Based Egusi (<i>Cucumeropsis mannii</i> Naudin) Seed Shells for Nitrate Ions Removal from Wastewater

“…The ACP yield was in the range 27.31% -52.25% and similar to the ACZ yield (26.60% -49.93%). The results of ANOVA for the response of ACP yield (Y 3 ) and ACZ yield (Y 6 ) (Equations (13) and 14) and their correlation coefficients are given in Table 4.…”

“…The recent focus has been the use of low cost precursors from agricultural (biomass) and industrial waste as precursors to prepare activated carbons [8] [9] [10] [11]. Examples include date stone [12], oil palm shell [13], sewage sludge [14], Fox nut shell [15], cola nut shell [16], cherry stone [17], tomato processing waste [18] crab shell [19], bamboo [20], and coconut shell [21].…”

“…Chemical activation is performed in single step, by impregnating the precursor with oxidizing reagents such as KOH, ZnCl 2 , H 3 PO 4 , or K 2 HPO 4 and carbonizing at a lower temperature range (400˚C -700˚C), followed by extensively washing to remove excess activating agent [8] [10] [20]. Physicochemical activation is a combination of physical and chemical activation [13] [22]. Chemical activation is mostly used because of good yield, and it utilizes less energy and time [19] [23].…”

Preparation and Characterization of Activated Carbon from Household Waste Foods

“…Figure (4) show the high yields is for olive stone 59.3% more than walnut shell 58.1%, this result corresponds to what was said both [27,28]. Others were mixture 50.43%, banana 46.4 and orange has the lowest yield 41.31% because it contains a large amount of aromatic volatile material [19], also it was show the higher sample has burn off 58.68%.…”

Degradation of Methylene Blue Dye Using Activated Carbon Obtained From Bio-Waste

“…The highly expensive and poor performance of activated carbon derived from polymer and other synthetic materials leads to research in alternative sources of carbon from natural sources such as different agricultural wastes. There are many reported bio-waste derived activated carbons such as agricultural plant-based materials like date palm leaves [10], oak leaves [11], rice husk [12], fluted pumpkin stem [13], tung fruit husk [14], oil palm shells [15] and orange peel [16]. In the present work, adsorption capacity of jackfruit derived activated carbon was investigated, using methylene blue as a model basic dye.…”