Biomass waste-derived microporous carbons with controlled texture and enhanced hydrogen uptake

We report on the facile preparation of biomass waste-derived microporous carbons and the investigation of their hydrogen storage performance. By adjusting the reaction parameters, different carbon materials with controlled morphology and texture were prepared through the carbonization and activation of the hydrolytic lignin from inexpensive biomass waste. The as-obtained samples were characterized using instrumental analyses such as SEM, TEM, EDX, XRD, IR, ICP, and XPS. It was found that the as-synthesized microporous carbons exhibited high surface area (2000-3100 m(2) g(-1)), large micropore volume (1.11-1.68 cm(3) g(-1)), and narrow pore size distribution (0.77-0.91 nm). Furthermore, a considerable hydrogen uptake exceeding 5 wt % with an isosteric adsorption heat of 4.1-7.5 kJ mol(-1) was attained with the microporous carbons, showing their potential usage in compacting gaseous fuels of hydrogen.