Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: This research studied the microstructure and elemental composition of activated carbon from corncobs derived from pyrolysis burning at temperatures ranging from 400 to 600 degrees Celsius in a 200-liter incinerator, producing biochar as a result. After that, the biochar was submerged in residual pulp-making water produced from sugar cane leaves. The immersion solution contained sodium hydroxide (NaOH) with a pH of 13 and was maintained for a duration of 24 hours. Afterwards, the charcoal was rinsed with water until it obtained a pH of 7, and then it was dried using hot air at a temperature of 70 degrees Celsius for 24 hours. The dried charcoal was then calcined via pyrolysis process at 700 degrees Celsius for 1 hour. The crystal structures, microstructure and elemental composition of the activated carbon were determined using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) respectively. Moreover, the surface area was measured using the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) technique. The XRD result revealed the existence of amorphous carbon phase, as well as graphite with a rhombohedral crystal structure. The SEM study showed the microstructure of the corncobs activated carbon, which had pores with sizes ranging from 8 to 10 μm, together with smaller embedded pores within the range of 2 to 5 μm. The EDS result indicated that carbon constituted for 68.86% of the elemental composition, with oxygen at 16.86%. In addition, the surface area investigation demonstrated that the activated carbon had a specific surface area of 722.42 m2/g.
Author: Kallayalert, Yotin
Language: Thai
Subfield: Water Science and Technology
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7220323767