Authors : O. Nwosu Friday, I. Olu-Owolabi Bamidele , O. Adebowale Kayode , Thomas Henle and Uwe Schwarzenbolz
Abstract: This study investigated the dependence of iodine numbers, pore volumes and CO2 based active carbon yields on hardness, crude fibre and major polymeric contents of precursor nutshells of Thevetia nerrifolia, Cocos nucifera, Hyphaene thebaica, Hura crepitans and Calophylum inophylum. Physico-chemical studies were performed on the precursor raw nutshell followed by separate carbonization of each of the nutshell in the presence of nitrogen at 480°C for 1 h. Subsequently physical activation of chars was conducted at 840°C with CO2 in a quartz glass tube placed in horizontal furnace. The cellulose content, lignin content, iodine number and BET surface area of prepared active carbons ranged 324.6-412.7, 42.6-293.6, 822.2-1804.0 mg g-1 and 551-2738 m2 g-1, respectively. Micropore volume ranged 0.100-0.702 cm3 g-1 while mesopore volume ranged 0.017-0.053 cm3 g-1. Four equations that separately relate crude fibre content and hardness-vickers-diameter ratio of precursors to iodine numbers, porosity, micropore volume and yield of active carbon is therefore suggested.
O. Nwosu Friday, I. Olu-Owolabi Bamidele , O. Adebowale Kayode , Thomas Henle and Uwe Schwarzenbolz , 2011. Effect of Nutshell Hardness, Chemical and Polymeric Compositions on Porosity and Adsorption Capacity of Nutshell-Based Active Carbons. Research Journal of Applied Sciences, 6: 501-511.