Preparation and characterization of activated carbon from waste ramulus mori

Ramulus mori was used as a precursor to prepare activated carbon using diammonium hydrogen phosphate as a chemical activation agent. The effect of preparation conditions on the produced activated carbon characteristics as an adsorbent was investigated. The performance of the carbon was characterized by N-2 adsorption-desorption isotherms, BET equations, BJH equation, HK equation, SEM, XRD, and FTIR. The optimum conditions for carbon preparation are as follows: carbonization temperature, 400 degrees C; carbonization time, 90 min; mass ratio of activating agent to carbonide, 1:2; activation temperature, 800 degrees C; and activation time, 120 min. The adsorptive capacity of methylene blue and iodine onto the carbon under optimum conditions attains 314.1 mg/g and 847.21 mg/g, respectively, the yield of activated carbon attains 26.56%, and Langmuir specific surface area attains 1603.44 m(2)/g. The pore structure of the activated carbon is mainly composed of micropore. There exists carbonyl and hydroxyl group on the activated carbon surface. (c) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.