Sorption properties of activated carbons obtained from corn cobs by chemical and physical activation

The paper presents results of a study on obtaining activated carbon from common corn cobs and on its use as adsorbent for removal of pollution from liquid and gas phases. The crushed precursor was subjected to pyrolysis at 500 and 800?°C in argon atmosphere and next to physical or chemical activation by CO₂ and KOH respectively. The effect of pyrolysis conditions and activation method on the physicochemical properties of the materials obtained was tested. The sorption properties of the carbonaceous adsorbents obtained were characterized by determination of nitrogen dioxide and hydrogen sulphide sorption from gas stream in dry and wet conditions as well as by iodine and methylene blue removal from aqueous solution. The final products were microporous activated carbons of well-developed surface area varying from 337 to 1213 m²/g and showing diverse acid-base character of the surface. The results obtained in our study have proved that a suitable choice of the activation procedure for corn cobs permits production of cheap adsorbents with high sorption capacity toward toxic gases of acidic character as well as different pollutants from liquid phase.     

Production of activated carbons from biodegradable waste materials as an alternative way of their utilisation

New carbonaceous adsorbents were prepared by means of direct, physical and chemical activation of corn cobs and cherry stones as well as coffee and tobacco industry waste materials. The effect of activation method on the textural parameters, acid-base character of the surface and sorption properties toward toxic gases of the materials obtained was tested. Depending on the precursor as well as method of preparation, the final products were micro/mesoporous activated carbons of surface area reaching to 1426 m²/g, showing largely different acid-base properties of the surface. The results obtained in our study have proved that a suitable choice of the activation procedure for industrial and agricultural biodegradable waste materials permits production of cheap carbonaceous adsorbents with very high sorption capacity towards nitrogen dioxide and hydrogen sulphide reaching to 83 mg NO₂/g_ads and 215 mg H₂S/g_ads, respectively.     

NO2 removal on adsorbents prepared from coffee industry waste materials

A technology for obtaining carbonaceous adsorbents by physical and chemical activation of waste materials from coffee industry is described. The effect of pyrolysis temperature and type of activation procedure on the textural parameters, acid–base character of the surface and sorption properties of activated carbons has been tested. The resulting carbons were characterized by low-temperature nitrogen sorption, determination of pH and the number of surface oxygen groups. The sorption properties of the activated carbons obtained were characterized by evaluation of nitrogen dioxide adsorption in dry and wet conditions. The final products were adsorbents of specific surface area ranging from 5 to 2,076 m²/g and pore volume from 0.03 to 1.25 cm³/g, showing very diverse acidic–basic character of the surface. The results obtained in our study have proved that a suitable choice of the pyrolysis and activation procedure for coffee industry wastes permits production of adsorbents with high sorption capacity of nitrogen dioxide, reaching to 44.5 and 84.1 mg NO₂/g in dry and wet conditions, respectively.     

The effect of mineral matter on the physicochemical and sorption properties of brown coal-based activated carbons

A series of new carbonaceous adsorbents has been obtained by means of direct and physical activation of Polish brown coal, characterised by high mineral matter content. The influence of activation procedure on the porous structure development, acidic and basic surface groups generation as well as the sorptive properties of the adsorbents prepared toward liquid and gas pollutants was tested. Additionally the effect of mineral matter presence on the physicochemical and sorption properties of materials prepared was studied. The final products were micro/mesoporous activated carbons of medium developed surface area ranging from 407 to 674 m²/g, showing strongly basic or intermediate acidic-basic character of the surface. The results obtained during this study showed that direct and physical activation of low quality brown coal led to activated carbons with very good sorption capacity both toward gas contamination of acidic character (especially nitrogen dioxide) as well as toward methylene blue and inorganic pollutants of molecules of size similar to that of iodine molecules. It was also proved that demineralization of prepared activated carbons by hydrochloric acid significantly reduced their ability to toxic gases sorption, but simultaneously increased the efficiency of removing impurities from the liquid phase.     

Removal of NO<Subscript>2</Subscript> by carbonaceous adsorbents obtained from residue after supercritical extraction of marigold

Carbonaceous adsorbents were obtained from the residue after supercritical extraction of marigold subjected to physical activation and used as nitrogen dioxide and iodine adsorbents. The effect of carbonisation and activation temperature on the textural parameters, acid–base character of the surface and sorption properties of the activated carbons was tested. The materials obtained were activated carbons of low-developed surface area varying from 2 to 206 m²/g, showing clearly basic character of the surface. The results proved that proper selection of the carbonisation and activation procedure of the residue after supercritical extraction of marigold permitted obtaining carbonaceous adsorbents with good capacity toward liquid as well as gas inorganic pollutants. The effectiveness of NO₂ removal was found to depend to large extent on the conditions of adsorption. The preliminary wetting of the adsorbent bed was shown to significantly increase the amount of pollutants removed.     

Biochars and Activated Biocarbons Prepared via Conventional Pyrolysis and Chemical or Physical Activation of Mugwort Herb as Potential Adsorbents and Renewable Fuels

The main objective of this study was to prepare a series of biochars and activated biocarbons via conventional pyrolysis as well as chemical or physical activation of solid residue after solvent extraction of wild growing plant (popular weed)–mugwort. The influence of the variant of the thermochemical treatment of the precursor on such parameters as elemental composition, textural parameters, acidic-basic character of the surface as well as adsorption abilities of the prepared carbonaceous materials was checked. Moreover, the suitability of the biochars prepared as renewable fuels was also investigated. It has been shown that the products obtained from the mugwort stems differ in many respects from the analogous materials obtained from mugwort leaves. The products were micro/mesoporous materials with surface area reaching 974.4 m²/g and total pore volume–1.190 cm³/g. Surface characterization showed that chemical activation with H₃PO₄ results in the acidic character of the adsorbents surface, whereas products of pyrolysis and especially physical activation show strongly alkaline surface properties. All the adsorbents were used for methylene blue and iodine adsorption from the aquatic environment. To understand the nature of the sorption process, the Langmuir, Freundlich and Temkin isotherm models were employed. The Langmuir model best described the experimental results, and the maximum sorption capacity calculated for this model reached 164.14 mg of methylene blue per gram of adsorbent. In case of iodine removal, the maximum capacity reached 948.00 mg/g. The research carried out for the biochars prepared via conventional pyrolysis showed that the value of their heat of combustion varies in the range from 21.74 to 30.27 MJ/kg, so they can be applied as the renewable fuels.     

Preparation and physicochemical characterisation of functionalised multi-walled carbon nanotubes

A series of new functionalised carbonaceous materials were prepared by means of oxidation and ammoxidation of commercially available multi-walled carbon nanotubes. The effect of oxygen and nitrogen doping on the textural, surface as well as thermal properties of the prepared adsorbents was tested. The materials were characterized by elemental analysis, low-temperature nitrogen sorption, determination of the surface oxygen groups content as well as by coupled thermogravimetric and spectroscopic methods (TG/DSC/MS). Depending of the variant of raw nanotubes modification, the final products were oxygen- and nitrogen-doped materials of medium-developed surface area and mesoporous structure, showing highly diverse acidic-basic character of the surface, from the weakly acidic to slightly alkaline.     

Adsorbents from Waste materials

The possibility of using pyrolyzed wastes produced in already working incineration plants, as adsorbents for waste water treatment, was studied. Showing very poor adsorption properties, they were improved by steam activation technique used in the conventional activated carbon manufacturing. It is concluded that various organic waste materials can be converted to carbonaceous final products with a character similar to activated carbon. Their adsorption properties and pore size distribution are determined by the structure of the starting material. Although most of these samples have a low specific surface area, their pore volume is not negligible in the meso-and micropore range. Adsorption tests with model waste waters confirmed that adsorption properties are strongly influenced by the character of the suface. The adsorption capacity of these samples can be utilized for the treatment of strongly polluted industrial waste waters. Considering that the raw material ‘needed’ to manufacture these adsorbent is produced permanently and the adsorbents do not have to be regenerated, it might be worthwhile using these kinds of adsorbents in the primary treatment of industrial waste waters.     

The use of microwave radiation for obtaining carbonaceous adsorbents from biomass and their use in elimination of inorganic pollutants

A new technology of obtaining activated carbons by physical and direct activation of biomass with the use of microwave radiation is described. The effect of activation temperature (700 and 800 °C) and two periods of time (15 and 30 min) on the textural parameters, acid–base character of the surface and sorption properties of activated carbons was tested. The resulting carbons were characterized by low-temperature nitrogen sorption and determination of pH as well as the number of surface oxygen groups. The sorption properties of the activated carbons obtained were characterized by determination of nitrogen dioxide and hydrogen sulphide adsorption in dry and wet conditions as well as by iodine removal from aqueous solution. The final products were adsorbents of surface area ranging from 291 to 368 m²/g and pore volume from 0.20 to 0.26 cm³/g, showing basic character of the surface. The results obtained in our study have proved that suitable choice of the pyrolysis and activation procedure for hay with the use of microwave radiation permit producing adsorbents with good capacity toward toxic gases of acidic character as well as inorganic pollutants of molecules of size similar to that of iodine molecules.     

A microscopic view of physical and chemical activation in the synthesis of porous carbons

The nanostructure and porosity of activated carbon fibers (ACFs) prepared by physical activation with CO2 and by chemical activation with H3PO4 of the highly ordered polymer poly(m-phenylene isophthalamide) have been investigated and compared by means of scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and gas adsorption measurements. In general terms, both types of activation led to porous carbons with similar nanometer-scale structure, which consisted of relatively ordered and homogeneous arrays of platelets below 10-nm wide, the porous structure being mainly comprised by the network of narrow trenches present between neighboring platelets. This similarity was attributed to the influence of the crystalline structure of the polymeric precursor, which should favor a homogeneous, uniform transformation of the polymer into the final carbon material. Such influence was only lost in chemical activation with the use of very large amounts of activating agent. A comparison of samples before and after physical activation allowed a direct identification of the local areas where gasification (activation) took place. For chemical activation, the STM measurements suggested that porosity was developed at a lower temperature than the highly cross-linked nanographitic structure of the final ACF. This result was discussed in terms of the thermal transformation mechanism of the precursor polymer into a carbonaceous solid in the presence of H3PO4.     

Simultaneous Removal of Polymers with Different Ionic Character from Their Mixed Solutions Using Herb-Based Biochars and Activated Carbons

Nettle and the sage herbs were used to obtain carbonaceous adsorbents. For the biochar preparation the precursors were dried and subjected to conventional pyrolysis. Activated carbons were obtained during precursor impregnation with phosphoric(V) acid and multistep pyrolysis. The textural parameters and acidic-basic properties of the obtained adsorbents were studied. The activated carbons prepared from the above herbs were characterized by the largely developed specific surface area. The obtained carbonaceous adsorbents were used for polymer removal from aqueous solution. Poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) and polyethylenimine (PEI) were chosen, due to their frequent presence in wastewater resulting from their extensive usage in many industrial fields. The influence of polymers on the electrokinetic properties of activated carbon were considered. PAA adsorption caused a decrease in the zeta potential and the surface charge density, whereas PEI increased these values. The activated carbons and biochars were used as polymer adsorbents from their single and binary solutions. Both polymers showed the greatest adsorption at pH 3. Poly (acrylic acid) had no significant effect on the polyethylenimine adsorbed amount, whereas PEI presence decreased the amount of PAA adsorption. Both polymers could be successfully desorbed from the activated carbons and biochar surfaces. The presented studies are innovatory and greatly required for the development of new environment protection procedures.     

Tailoring CuO nanostructures for enhanced photocatalytic property

Composites of cobalt (hydr)oxide and graphite oxide (GO) were obtained and evaluated as adsorbents of hydrogen sulfide at ambient conditions. The surface properties of the initial and exhausted samples were studied by FTIR, TEM, SEM/EDX, XRD, adsorption of nitrogen, potentiometric titration, and thermal analysis. The results obtained show a significant improvement in their adsorption capacities compared to parent compounds. The importance of the OH groups of cobalt (hydr)oxide/GO composites and new interface chemistry for the adsorption of hydrogen sulfide on these materials is revealed. The oxygen activation by the carbonaceous component resulted in formation of sulfites. Water enhanced the removal process. This is the result of the basic environment promoting dissociation of H(2)S and acid-base reactions. Finally, the differences in the performance of the materials with different mass ratios of GO were linked to the availability of active sites on the surface of the adsorbents, dispersion of these sites, their chemical heterogeneity, and location in the pore system.     

Mesoporous Carbons of Well-Organized Structure in the Removal of Dyes from Aqueous Solutions

Mesoporous carbons with differentiated properties were synthesized by using the method of impregnation of mesoporous well-organized silicas. The obtained carbonaceous materials and microporous activated carbon were investigated by applying different methods in order to determine their structural, surface and adsorption properties towards selected dyes from aqueous solutions. In order to verify applicability of adsorbents for removing dyes the equilibrium and kinetic experimental data were measured and analyzed by applying various equations and models. The structural and acid-base properties of the investigated carbons were evaluated by Small-Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS) technique, adsorption/desorption of nitrogen, potentiometric titration, and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). The results of these techniques are complementary, indicating the type of porosity and structural ordering, e.g., the pore sizes determined from the SAXS data are in good agreement with those obtained from nitrogen sorption data. The SAXS and TEM data confirm the regularity of mesoporous carbon structure. The adsorption experiment, especially kinetic measurements, reveals the utility of mesoporous carbons in dye removing, taking into account not only the adsorption uptake but also the adsorption rate.     

A comparative adsorption study with different industrial wastes as adsorbents for the removal of cationic dyes from water

Four adsorbents have been prepared from industrial wastes obtained from the steel and fertilizer industries and investigated for their utility to remove cationic dyes. Studies have shown that the adsorbents prepared from blast furnace sludge, dust, and slag have poor porosity and low surface area, resulting in very low efficiency for the adsorption of dyes. On the other hand, carbonaceous adsorbent prepared from carbon slurry waste obtained from the fertilizer industry was found to show good porosity and appreciable surface area and consequently adsorbs dyes to an appreciable extent. The adsorption of two cationic dyes, viz., rhodamine B and Bismark Brown R on carbonaceous adsorbent conforms to Langmuir equation, is a first-order process and pore diffusion controlled. As the adsorption of dyes investigated was appreciable on carbonaceous adsorbent, its efficiency was evaluated by comparing the results with those obtained on a standard activated charcoal sample. It was found that prepared carbonaceous adsorbent exhibits dye removal efficiency that is about 80-90% of that observed with standard activated charcoal samples. Thus, it can be fruitfully used for the removal of dyes and is a suitable alternative to standard activated charcoal in view of its cheaper cost.     

Carbothermal reduction of the YSZ–NiO solid oxide fuel cell anode precursor by carbon-based materials

The thermal behavior of the yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) and nickel oxide (YSZ–NiO) composite mixtures with the addition of graphite, multiwall carbon nanotubes and functionalized multiwall carbon nanotubes was studied. The YSZ–NiO composite is the precursor of the YSZ–Ni anode of solid oxide fuel cells. The anode exhibits a porous structure, which is usually obtained by the addition of carbon containing pore formers. Thermal analysis and X-ray diffraction evidenced that the properties of carbonaceous materials (C) and atmosphere have a strong influence on the thermal evolution of the reactions taking place upon heating the anode precursor. The dependence of both the carbon content and the chemical nature of the ceramic matrix on the thermal behavior of the composite were investigated. The discussed results evidenced important features for optimized processing of the anode.     

Adsorption of cyanuric acid on activated carbon from aqueous solution: effect of carbon surface modification and thermodynamic characteristics

The performance of a conventional and two surface-modified activated carbon samples was investigated for the sorption of cyanuric acid from aqueous solution by varying the process parameters such as initial concentration, pH, temperature, dose of adsorbents, and agitation time. The modified carbon samples obtained by acid and ammonia treatment of the conventional sample had a higher BET surface area (989 and 1010 m2 g-1, respectively) and higher specific mesopore surface area (27.36 and 33.21 m2 g-1, respectively) compared to the untreated material (820 and 18.25 m2 g-1). The solute removal was found to be favored at lower solute concentration, increased agitation time, increased adsorbent dose, and lower temperature. The modified adsorbents outperformed the conventional activated carbon for sorption of cyanuric acid especially at higher pH (>7.5) and with increasing temperature. The Freundlich model appears to fit the isotherm data better than the Langmuir model. The thermodynamic parameters (DeltaG degrees ads, DeltaH degrees, and DeltaS degrees) were evaluated showing that the sorption process was thermodynamically favorable, spontaneous, and exothermic. The findings can be used for predictive modeling for analysis and design adsorption systems for removal of cyanuric acid and other polar atrazine degradation products from environmental aqueous samples.     

活性炭纤维的脱硫性能

活性炭纤维作为一种新型高效吸附剂，在环保领域尤其是在烟气脱硫方面显示了广阔的应用前景。本文在作者所做工作和分析别人实验结果的基础上，综述了包括前驱体材料、制备条件以及活性炭纤维表面物理化学性能等影响活性炭纤维脱除烟气中SO2的主要因素，阐述了活性炭纤维脱硫的反应机理。认为含有较多量氮元素的前驱体材料具有较高的脱硫性能，类似的结果也出现在用不同方法制备的活性炭纤维中；众多的研究结果表明，活性炭纤维表面化学性能的影响尤其是表面物理性能的影响，其中表面含氧官能团对活性炭纤维脱除SO2不利，但用热处理方法脱除掉以CO形式释出的含氧官能团后可显著增强活性炭纤维的脱硫活性；此外，含氮官能团引入到活性炭纤维表面后也可显著增强活性炭纤维的脱硫活性。     

新型吸附剂——球形碳化树脂的研究Ⅳ

将粒径为0.8-1.2mm的大孔聚丙烯腈小球在氧气氛下热处理后,于高纯氮保护下,进行高温裂解,得到粒径为0.40—0.63mm的球形碳化吸附树脂。该树脂比表面为588m~2/g,对肌酸酐、尿酸及维生素B_12的吸附量可达98％以上。碳化聚丙烯腈(下称碳化球)收率为20％。降低裂解温度或未经活化处理,碳化球收率可达50％,对尿酸及锥生素B_12仍有优异的吸附性能,但对肌酸酐的吸附率很低。     

Sorption and Textural Properties of Activated Carbon Derived from Charred Beech Wood

The aim of this study was to prepare activated carbon materials with different porous structures. For this purpose, the biomass precursor, beech wood, was carbonized in an inert atmosphere, and the obtained charcoal was physically activated using carbon dioxide at 1273 K. Different porous structures were obtained by controlling the time of the activation process. Prepared materials were characterized in terms of textural (N₂ sorption at 77 K), structural (XRD), and sorption properties (CO₂, C₂H₄, C₄H₁₀). The shortest activation time resulted in a mostly microporous structure, which provided a high sorption of CO₂. Increasing the activation time led to an increasing of the pores’ diameters. Therefore, the highest ethene uptake was obtained for the material with an intermediate activation time, while the highest butane uptake was obtained for the material with the highest activation time.     

Comparative Enrichment Capabilities of Some Carbonaceous and Macroreticular Resins Using Selected Radioactive Model Compounds in Fortified Aqueous Samples

Abstract

The concentration efficiency of synthetic macroreticular resins, XAD-2 and XAD-7 and carbonaceous resins, XE-340, XE-347 and XE-348 was evaluated and compared using trace levels of eight radioactive model environmental contaminants present in aqueous medium. Influences of chemical functionalities of the solvents, physical characteristics of the sorbents, and pH of the aqueous medium on sorption of the model compounds were investigated under frontal dynamic chromatographic conditions. The elution behavior of these sorbates and desorption properties of the polymer adsorbents with respect to solvents of different polarities were studied.