Effects of cellulose carbonization on biomass carbon and diatomite composite

The biomass carbon and diatomite composite was prepared by hypoxia pyrolysis method, which adopted diatomite accompanied by cellulose as raw materials. The properties of carbonaceous samples were characterized by Thermal gravity-differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), Scanning electron microscope analysis (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis (FT-IR), particle size analysis, Zeta potential analysis and MB adsorption capacity analysis. The XRD results showed that the crystallization temperature of opal phase was reduced nearly 350 degrees C by cellulose carbonization in biomass carbon and diatomite composite. The SEM analysis showed that the porous morphology of diatomite was changed by cellulose carbonization at lower temperature. The FT-IR results showed that the absorption peaks of Si-O-Si around 462 cm(-1) and 1098 cm(-1) were significantly weakened as biomass carbon increased. The MB absorption capacity of biomass carbon and diatomite composite was significantly increased by cellulose carbonization, q(e) was in the range of 39.97-49.82 mg g(-1), thus the biomass carbon and diatomite composite which was environment friendly and inexpensive had the potential to be an excellent absorbent. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.