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Sample records for highly active carbon

  1. High-surface-area active carbon

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    O'Grady, T.M.; Wennerberg, A.N.

    1986-01-01

    This paper describes the preparation and properties of a unique active carbon having exceptionally high surface areas, over 2500 m 2 /gm, and extraordinary adsorptive capacities. The carbon is made by a direct chemical activation route in which petroleum coke or other carbonaceous sources are reacted with excess potassium hydroxide at 400 0 to 500 0 C to an intermediate product that is subsequently pyrolyzed at 800 0 to 900 0 C to active carbon containing potassium salts. These are removed by water washing and the carbon is dried to produce a powdered product. A granular carbon can also be made by further processing the powdered carbon by using specialized granulation techniques. Typical properties of the carbon include Iodine Numbers of 3000 to 3600, methylene blue adsorption of 650 to 750 mg/gm, pore volumes of 2.0 to 2.6 cc/gm and less than 3.0% ash. This carbon's high adsorption capacities make it uniquely suited for numerous demanding applications in the medical area, purifications, removal of toxic substances, as catalyst carriers, etc

  2. Highly porous activated carbons prepared from carbon rich Mongolian anthracite by direct NaOH activation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Byamba-Ochir, Narandalai [School of Chemical Engineering, Chonnam National University, 77 Yongbong-Ro, Gwangju 61186 (Korea, Republic of); Shim, Wang Geun [Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Sunchon National University, 255 Jungang-Ro, Suncheon, Jeollanam-Do 57922 (Korea, Republic of); Balathanigaimani, M.S., E-mail: msbala@rgipt.ac.in [Department of Chemical Engineering, Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Petroleum Technology, Ratapur Chowk, Rae Bareli, 229316 Uttar Pradesh (India); Moon, Hee, E-mail: hmoon@jnu.ac.kr [School of Chemical Engineering, Chonnam National University, 77 Yongbong-Ro, Gwangju 61186 (Korea, Republic of)

    2016-08-30

    Highlights: • Highly porous carbon materials from Mongolian anthracite by chemical activation. • Cheaper and eco-friendly activation process has been employed. • Activated carbons with graphitic structure and energetically heterogeneous surface. • Surface hydrophobicity and porosity of the activated carbons can be controlled. - Abstract: Highly porous activated carbons (ACs) were prepared from Mongolian raw anthracite (MRA) using sodium hydroxide as an activation agent by varying the mass ratio (powdered MRA/NaOH) as well as the mixing method of chemical agent and powdered MRA. The specific BET surface area and total pore volume of the prepared MRA-based activated carbons (MACs) are in the range of 816–2063 m{sup 2}/g and of 0.55–1.61 cm{sup 3}/g, respectively. The pore size distribution of MACs show that most of the pores are in the range from large micropores to small mesopores and their distribution can be controlled by the mass ratio and mixing method of the activating agent. As expected from the intrinsic property of the MRA, the highly graphitic surface morphology of prepared carbons was confirmed from Raman spectra and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies. Furthermore the FTIR and XPS results reveal that the preparation of MACs with hydrophobic in nature is highly possible by controlling the mixing conditions of activating agent and powdered MRA. Based on all the results, it is suggested that the prepared MACs could be used for many specific applications, requiring high surface area, optimal pore size distribution, proper surface hydrophobicity as well as strong physical strength.

  3. Highly Crumpled All-Carbon Transistors for Brain Activity Recording.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Long; Zhao, Yan; Xu, Wenjing; Shi, Enzheng; Wei, Wenjing; Li, Xinming; Cao, Anyuan; Cao, Yanping; Fang, Ying

    2017-01-11

    Neural probes based on graphene field-effect transistors have been demonstrated. Yet, the minimum detectable signal of graphene transistor-based probes is inversely proportional to the square root of the active graphene area. This fundamentally limits the scaling of graphene transistor-based neural probes for improved spatial resolution in brain activity recording. Here, we address this challenge using highly crumpled all-carbon transistors formed by compressing down to 16% of its initial area. All-carbon transistors, chemically synthesized by seamless integration of graphene channels and hybrid graphene/carbon nanotube electrodes, maintained structural integrity and stable electronic properties under large mechanical deformation, whereas stress-induced cracking and junction failure occurred in conventional graphene/metal transistors. Flexible, highly crumpled all-carbon transistors were further verified for in vivo recording of brain activity in rats. These results highlight the importance of advanced material and device design concepts to make improvements in neuroelectronics.

  4. High activity carbon sorbents for mercury capture

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stavropoulos George G.

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available High efficiency activated carbons have been prepared for removing mercury from gas streams. Starting materials used were petroleum coke, lignite, charcoal and olive seed waste, and were chemically activated with KOH. Produced adsorbents were primarily characterized for their porosity by N2 adsorption at 77 K. Their mercury retention capacity was characterized based on the breakthrough curves. Compared with typical commercial carbons, they have exhibited considerably enhanced mercury adsorption capacity. An attempt has been made to correlate mercury entrapment and pore structure. It has been shown that physical surface area is increased during activation in contrast to the mercury adsorption capacity that initially increases and tends to decrease at latter stages. Desorption of active sites may be responsible for this behavior.

  5. Effect of high surface area activated carbon on thermal degradation of jet fuel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gergova, K.; Eser, S.; Arumugam, R.; Schobert, H.H. [Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park, PA (United States)

    1995-05-01

    Different solid carbons added to jet fuel during thermal stressing cause substantial changes in pyrolytic degradation reactions. Activated carbons, especially high surface area activated carbons were found to be very effective in suppressing solid deposition on metal reactor walls during stressing at high temperatures (425 and 450{degrees}C). The high surface area activated carbon PX-21 prevented solid deposition on reactor walls even after 5h at 450{degrees}C. The differences seen in the liquid product composition when activated carbon is added indicated that the carbon surfaces affect the degradation reactions. Thermal stressing experiments were carried out on commercial petroleum-derived JPTS jet fuel. We also used n-octane and n-dodecane as model compounds in order to simplify the study of the chemical changes which take place upon activated carbon addition. In separate experiments, the presence of a hydrogen donor, decalin, together with PX-21 was also studied.

  6. Aloe vera Derived Activated High-Surface-Area Carbon for Flexible and High-Energy Supercapacitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karnan, M; Subramani, K; Sudhan, N; Ilayaraja, N; Sathish, M

    2016-12-28

    Materials which possess high specific capacitance in device configuration with low cost are essential for viable application in supercapacitors. Herein, a flexible high-energy supercapacitor device was fabricated using porous activated high-surface-area carbon derived from aloe leaf (Aloe vera) as a precursor. The A. vera derived activated carbon showed mesoporous nature with high specific surface area of ∼1890 m 2 /g. A high specific capacitance of 410 and 306 F/g was achieved in three-electrode and symmetric two-electrode system configurations in aqueous electrolyte, respectively. The fabricated all-solid-state device showed a high specific capacitance of 244 F/g with an energy density of 8.6 Wh/kg. In an ionic liquid electrolyte, the fabricated device showed a high specific capacitance of 126 F/g and a wide potential window up to 3 V, which results in a high energy density of 40 Wh/kg. Furthermore, it was observed that the activation temperature has significant role in the electrochemical performance, as the activated sample at 700 °C showed best activity than the samples activated at 600 and 800 °C. The electron microscopic images (FE-SEM and HR-TEM) confirmed the formation of pores by the chemical activation. A fabricated supercapacitor device in ionic liquid with 3 V could power up a red LED for 30 min upon charging for 20s. Also, it is shown that the operation voltage and capacitance of flexible all-solid-state symmetric supercapacitors fabricated using aloe-derived activated carbon could be easily tuned by series and parallel combinations. The performance of fabricated supercapacitor devices using A. vera derived activated carbon in all-solid-state and ionic liquid indicates their viable applications in flexible devices and energy storage.

  7. Polyfurfuryl alcohol derived activated carbons for high power electrical double layer capacitors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ruiz, V.; Pandolfo, A.G.

    2010-01-01

    Polyfurfuryl alcohol (PFA) derived activated carbons were prepared by the acid catalysed polymerization of furfuryl alcohol, followed by potassium hydroxide activation. Activated carbons with apparent BET surface areas ranging from 1070 to 2600 m 2 g -1 , and corresponding average micropore sizes between 0.6 and 1.6 nm were obtained. The porosity of these carbons can be carefully controlled during activation and their performance as electrode materials in electric double layer capacitors (EDLCs) in a non-aqueous electrolyte (1 M Et 4 NBF 4 /ACN) is investigated. Carbon materials with a low average pore size ( -1 at an operating voltage window of 0-2.5 V; which corresponds to 32 Wh kg -1 and 38 kW kg -1 on an active material basis. These carbons also displayed an outstanding performance at high current densities delivering up to 100 F g -1 at current densities as high as 250 A g -1 . The exceptionally high capacitance and power of this electrode material is attributed to its good electronic conductivity and a highly effective combination of micro- and fine mesoporosity.

  8. Sulfurized activated carbon for high energy density supercapacitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Yunxia; Candelaria, Stephanie L.; Li, Yanwei; Li, Zhimin; Tian, Jianjun; Zhang, Lili; Cao, Guozhong

    2014-04-01

    Sulfurized activated carbon (SAC), made by coating the pore surface with thiophenic sulfur functional groups from the pyrolysis of sulfur flakes, were characterized and tested for supercapacitor applications. From X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), the sulfur content in the SAC was found to be 2.7 at%. Electrochemical properties from potentiostatic and galvanostatic measurements, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were used to evaluate the effect of sulfur on porous carbon electrodes. The SAC electrode exhibits better conductivity, and an obvious increase in specific capacitance that is almost 40% higher than plain activated carbons (ACs) electrode at a high current density of 1.4 A g-1. The proposed mechanism for improved conductivity and capacitive performance due to the sulfur functional groups on ACs will be discussed.

  9. Polyfurfuryl alcohol derived activated carbons for high power electrical double layer capacitors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ruiz, V. [CSIRO Division of Energy Technology, Box 312, Clayton South, Vic. 3169 (Australia); Pandolfo, A.G., E-mail: tony.pandolfo@csiro.a [CSIRO Division of Energy Technology, Box 312, Clayton South, Vic. 3169 (Australia)

    2010-10-30

    Polyfurfuryl alcohol (PFA) derived activated carbons were prepared by the acid catalysed polymerization of furfuryl alcohol, followed by potassium hydroxide activation. Activated carbons with apparent BET surface areas ranging from 1070 to 2600 m{sup 2} g{sup -1}, and corresponding average micropore sizes between 0.6 and 1.6 nm were obtained. The porosity of these carbons can be carefully controlled during activation and their performance as electrode materials in electric double layer capacitors (EDLCs) in a non-aqueous electrolyte (1 M Et{sub 4}NBF{sub 4}/ACN) is investigated. Carbon materials with a low average pore size (<{approx}0.6 nm) exhibited electrolyte accessibility issues and an associated decrease in capacitance at high charging rates. PFA carbons with larger average pore sizes exhibited greatly improved performance, with specific electrode capacitances of 150 F g{sup -1} at an operating voltage window of 0-2.5 V; which corresponds to 32 Wh kg{sup -1} and 38 kW kg{sup -1} on an active material basis. These carbons also displayed an outstanding performance at high current densities delivering up to 100 F g{sup -1} at current densities as high as 250 A g{sup -1}. The exceptionally high capacitance and power of this electrode material is attributed to its good electronic conductivity and a highly effective combination of micro- and fine mesoporosity.

  10. Activated carbon from biomass

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manocha, S.; Manocha, L. M.; Joshi, Parth; Patel, Bhavesh; Dangi, Gaurav; Verma, Narendra

    2013-06-01

    Activated carbon are unique and versatile adsorbents having extended surface area, micro porous structure, universal adsorption effect, high adsorption capacity and high degree of surface reactivity. Activated carbons are synthesized from variety of materials. Most commonly used on a commercial scale are cellulosic based precursors such as peat, coal, lignite wood and coconut shell. Variation occurs in precursors in terms of structure and carbon content. Coir having very low bulk density and porous structure is found to be one of the valuable raw materials for the production of highly porous activated carbon and other important factor is its high carbon content. Exploration of good low cost and non conventional adsorbent may contribute to the sustainability of the environment and offer promising benefits for the commercial purpose in future. Carbonization of biomass was carried out in a horizontal muffle furnace. Both carbonization and activation were performed in inert nitrogen atmosphere in one step to enhance the surface area and to develop interconnecting porosity. The types of biomass as well as the activation conditions determine the properties and the yield of activated carbon. Activated carbon produced from biomass is cost effective as it is easily available as a waste biomass. Activated carbon produced by combination of chemical and physical activation has higher surface area of 2442 m2/gm compared to that produced by physical activation (1365 m2/gm).

  11. A doped activated carbon prepared from polyaniline for high performance supercapacitors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Li, Limin; Liu, Enhui; Li, Jian; Yang, Yanjing; Shen, Haijie; Huang, Zhengzheng; Xiang, Xiaoxia; Li, Wen [Key Laboratory of Environmentally Friendly Chemistry and Applications of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Xiangtan University, Hunan 411105 (China)

    2010-03-01

    A novel doped activated carbon has been prepared from H{sub 2}SO{sub 4}-doped polyaniline which is prepared by the oxypolymerization of aniline. The morphology, surface chemical composition and surface area of the carbon have been investigated by scanning electron microscope, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Brunaner-Emmett-Teller measurement, respectively. Electrochemical properties of the doped activated carbon have been studied by cyclic voltammograms, galvanostatic charge/discharge, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements in 6 mol l{sup -1} KOH. The specific capacitance of the carbon is as high as 235 F g{sup -1}, the specific capacitance hardly decreases at a high current density 11 A g{sup -1} after 10,000 cycles, which indicates that the carbon possesses excellent cycle durability and may be a promising candidate for supercapacitors. (author)

  12. Development of highly microporous activated carbon from the alcoholic beverage industry organic by-products

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nieto-Delgado, C.; Terrones, M.; Rangel-Mendez, J.R.

    2011-01-01

    This work has the aim to employ the agave bagasse, a waste from Tequila and Mescal industries, to obtain a product of high commercial value such as activated carbon. The activated carbon production methodology was based on a chemical activation, by using ZnCl 2 and H 3 PO 4 as activating agent and agave bagasse as a natural source of carbon. The activation temperature (150-450 o C), activation time (0-60 min) and weight ratio of activating agent to precursor (0.2-4) were studied. The produced carbon materials were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and nitrogen physisorption at -196 o C. In addition, the activating agent recovery was evaluated. We were able to obtain highly microporous activated carbons with micropore volumes between 0.24 and 1.20 cm 3 /g and a surface area within 300 and 2139 m 2 /g. These results demonstrated the feasibility to treat the industrial wastes of the Tequila and Mescal industries, being this wastes an excellent precursor to produce highly microporous activated carbons that can be processed at low activation temperatures in short times, with the possibility of recycling the activating agent.

  13. High performance supercapacitor from activated carbon derived from waste orange skin

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahmed, Sultan; Hussain, S.; Ahmed, Ahsan; Rafat, M.

    2018-05-01

    Activated carbon due to its inherent properties such as large surface area and low cost is most frequently used electrode material for supercapacitor. Activated carbon has been previously derived from various biomass such as coconut shell, coffee bean etc. Herein, we report the synthesis of activated carbon from waste orange skin. The material was synthesized employing chemical activation method and the success of synthesis was confirmed by its physical and electrochemical properties. The physical properties of the as-prepared sample were studied using the techniques of XRD, SEM, Raman spectroscopy and N2 adsorption/desorption analysis while its electrochemical properties were studied in two-electrode assembly using liquid electrolyte (consisting of 1 M solution of LiTFSI dispersed in ionic liquid EMITFSI) and employing the techniques of cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and galvanostatic charge- discharge. The synthesized sample of activated carbon exhibits high specific capacitance of 115 F g-1 at 10 mV s-1. Also, the activated carbon electrode shows the retention of ˜75% in initial capacitance value for more than 2000 initial cycles, indicating the as-prepared activated carbon can be profitably used as electrode material for energy storage devices.

  14. Nanoporous Activated Carbon Derived from Rice Husk for High Performance Supercapacitor

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Huaxing Xu

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Nanoporous activated carbon material was produced from the waste rice husks (RHs by precarbonizing RHs and activating with KOH. The morphology, structure, and specific surface area were investigated. The nanoporous carbon has the average pore size of 2.2 nm and high specific area of 2523.4 m2 g−1. The specific capacitance of the nanoporous carbon is calculated to be 250 F g−1 at the current density of 1 A g−1 and remains 80% for 198 F g−1 at the current density of 20 A g−1. The nanoporous carbon electrode exhibits long-term cycle life and could keep stable capacitance till 10,000 cycles. The consistently high specific capacitance, rate capacity, and long-term cycle life ability makes it a potential candidate as electrode material for supercapacitor.

  15. Carbon nanofibers grafted on activated carbon as an electrode in high-power supercapacitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gryglewicz, Grażyna; Śliwak, Agata; Béguin, François

    2013-08-01

    A hybrid electrode material for high-power supercapacitors was fabricated by grafting carbon nanofibers (CNFs) onto the surface of powdered activated carbon (AC) through catalytic chemical vapor deposition (CCVD). A uniform thin layer of disentangled CNFs with a herringbone structure was deposited on the carbon surface through the decomposition of propane at 450 °C over an AC-supported nickel catalyst. CNF coating was controlled by the reaction time and the nickel content. The superior CNF/AC composite displays excellent electrochemical performance in a 0.5 mol L(-1) solution of K2 SO4 due to its unique structure. At a high scan rate (100 mV s(-1) ) and current loading (20 A g(-1) ), the capacitance values were three- and fourfold higher than those for classical AC/carbon black composites. Owing to this feature, a high energy of 10 Wh kg(-1) was obtained over a wide power range in neutral medium at a voltage of 0.8 V. The significant enhancement of charge propagation is attributed to the presence of herringbone CNFs, which facilitate the diffusion of ions in the electrode and play the role of electronic bridges between AC particles. An in situ coating of AC with short CNFs (below 200 nm) is a very attractive method for producing the next generation of carbon composite materials with a high power performance in supercapacitors working in neutral medium. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  16. Granular bamboo-derived activated carbon for high CO(2) adsorption: the dominant role of narrow micropores.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, Haoran; Deng, Shubo; Hu, Bingyin; Chen, Zhenhe; Wang, Bin; Huang, Jun; Yu, Gang

    2012-12-01

    Cost-effective biomass-derived activated carbons with a high CO(2) adsorption capacity are attractive for carbon capture. Bamboo was found to be a suitable precursor for activated carbon preparation through KOH activation. The bamboo size in the range of 10-200 mesh had little effect on CO(2) adsorption, whereas the KOH/C mass ratio and activation temperature had a significant impact on CO(2) adsorption. The bamboo-derived activated carbon had a high adsorption capacity and excellent selectivity for CO(2) , and also the adsorption process was highly reversible. The adsorbed amount of CO(2) on the granular activated carbon was up to 7.0 mmol g(-1) at 273 K and 1 bar, which was higher than almost all carbon materials. The pore characteristics of activated carbons responsible for high CO(2) adsorption were fully investigated. Based on the analysis of narrow micropore size distribution of several activated carbons prepared under different conditions, a more accurate micropore range contributing to CO(2) adsorption was proposed. The volume of micropores in the range of 0.33-0.82 nm had a good linear relationship with CO(2) adsorption at 273 K and 1 bar, and the narrow micropores of about 0.55 nm produced the major contribution, which could be used to evaluate CO(2) adsorption on activated carbons. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  17. Tobacco Stem-Based Activated Carbons for High Performance Supercapacitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xia, Xiaohong; Liu, Hongbo; Shi, Lei; He, Yuede

    2012-09-01

    Tobacco stem-based activated carbons (TS-ACs) were prepared by simple KOH activation and their application as electrodes in the electrical double layer capacitor (EDLC) performed successfully. The BET surface area, pore volume, and pore size distribution of the TS-ACs were evaluated based on N2 adsorption isotherms at 77 K. The surface area of the obtained activated carbons varies over a wide range (1472.8-3326.7 m2/g) and the mesoporosity was enhanced significantly as the ratio of KOH to tobacco stem (TS) increased. The electrochemical behaviors of series TS-ACs were characterized by means of galvanostatic charging/discharging, cyclic voltammetry, and impedance spectroscopy. The correlation between electrochemical properties and pore structure was investigated. A high specific capacitance value as 190 F/g at 1 mA/cm2 was obtained in 1 M LiPF6-EC/DMC/DEC electrolyte solution. Furthermore, good performance is also achieved even at high current densities. A development of new use for TS into a valuable energy storage material is explored.

  18. Hierarchical porous carbons prepared by an easy one-step carbonization and activation of phenol-formaldehyde resins with high performance for supercapacitors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zheng, Zhoujun [State Key Laboratory of High Performance Ceramics and Superfine Microstructures, Graduate School, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Science, 1295 Dingxi Road, Shanghai 200050 (China); Gao, Qiuming [State Key Laboratory of High Performance Ceramics and Superfine Microstructures, Graduate School, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Science, 1295 Dingxi Road, Shanghai 200050 (China); School of Chemistry and Environment, Beihang University, 37 Xueyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100191 (China)

    2011-02-01

    Hierarchical porous carbons are prepared by an easy one-step process of carbonization and activation derived from phenol-formaldehyde resins, in which potassium hydroxide acts as both the catalyst of polymerization and the activation reagent. The simple one-step preparation saves the cost of carbons and leads to high yield. The porous carbons have high surface areas with abundant pore structures. The plenty of micropores and small mesopores increase the capacitance and make the electrolyte ions diffuse fast into the pores. These hierarchical porous carbons show high performance for supercapacitors possessing of the optimized capacitance of 234 F g{sup -1} in aqueous electrolyte and 137 F g{sup -1} in organic electrolyte with high capacitive retention. (author)

  19. High methanol oxidation activity of electrocatalysts supported by directly grown nitrogen-containing carbon nanotubes on carbon cloth

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, C.-H.; Shih, H.-C.; Tsai, Y.-T.; Du, H.-Y.; Chen, L.-C.; Chen, K.-H.

    2006-01-01

    The microstructure and electrochemical activity of the Pt-Ru supported by nitrogen-containing carbon nanotubes (CN x NTs) directly grown on the carbon cloth have been investigated. The CN x NTs directly grown on the carbon cloth (CN x NTs-carbon cloth composite electrode) were synthesized using microwave-plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition first and then use as the template to support the Pt-Ru nanoclusters subsequently sputtered on. The ferricyanide/ferrocyanide redox reaction in cyclic voltammetry (CV) measurements showed a faster electron transfer on the CN x NTs-carbon cloth composite electrode than the one with carbon cloth alone. Comparing their methanol oxidation abilities, it is found that the Pt-Ru nanoclusters supported by the CN x NTs-carbon cloth composite electrode have considerably higher electrocatalytic activity than the carbon cloth counterpart. This result suggests high performance of the CN x NTs-carbon cloth composite electrode, and demonstrates its suitability for direct methanol fuel cell applications

  20. High methanol oxidation activity of electrocatalysts supported by directly grown nitrogen-containing carbon nanotubes on carbon cloth

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, C.-H. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan (China); Shih, H.-C. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan (China); Institue of Materials Science and Nano Technology, Chinese Culture University, Taipei, Taiwan (China); Tsai, Y.-T. [Institue of Materials Science and Nano Technology, Chinese Culture University, Taipei, Taiwan (China); Du, H.-Y. [Institue of Materials Science and Nano Technology, Chinese Culture University, Taipei, Taiwan (China); Chen, L.-C. [Center for Condensed Matter Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan (China); Chen, K.-H. [Center for Condensed Matter Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan (China) and Institue of Atomic and Molecular Science, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan (China)]. E-mail: chenkh@pub.iams.sinica.edu.tw

    2006-12-01

    The microstructure and electrochemical activity of the Pt-Ru supported by nitrogen-containing carbon nanotubes (CN {sub x} NTs) directly grown on the carbon cloth have been investigated. The CN {sub x} NTs directly grown on the carbon cloth (CN {sub x} NTs-carbon cloth composite electrode) were synthesized using microwave-plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition first and then use as the template to support the Pt-Ru nanoclusters subsequently sputtered on. The ferricyanide/ferrocyanide redox reaction in cyclic voltammetry (CV) measurements showed a faster electron transfer on the CN {sub x} NTs-carbon cloth composite electrode than the one with carbon cloth alone. Comparing their methanol oxidation abilities, it is found that the Pt-Ru nanoclusters supported by the CN {sub x} NTs-carbon cloth composite electrode have considerably higher electrocatalytic activity than the carbon cloth counterpart. This result suggests high performance of the CN {sub x} NTs-carbon cloth composite electrode, and demonstrates its suitability for direct methanol fuel cell applications.

  1. High-performance all-solid-state flexible supercapacitors based on two-step activated carbon cloth

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Shulan; Shi, Tielin; Zhan, Xiaobin; Long, Hu; Xi, Shuang; Hu, Hao; Tang, Zirong

    2014-12-01

    A simple and effective strategy is proposed to activate carbon cloth for the fabrication of flexible and high-performance supercapacitors. Firstly, the carbon cloth surface is exfoliated as nanotextures through wet chemical treatment, then an annealing process is applied at H2/N2 atmosphere to reduce the surface oxygen functional groups which are mainly introduced from the first step. The activated carbon cloth electrode shows excellent wettablity, large surface area and delivers remarkable electrochemical performance. A maximum areal capacitance of 485.64 mF cm-2 at the current density of 2 mA cm-2 is achieved for the activated carbon cloth electrode, which is considerably larger than the resported results for carbon cloth. Furthermore, the flexible all-solid-state supercapacitor, which is fabricated based on the activated carbon cloth electrodes, shows high areal capacitance, superior cycling stability as well as stable electrochemical performance even under constant bending or twisting conditions. An areal capacitance of 161.28 mF cm-2 is achieved at the current density of 12.5 mA cm-2, and 104% of its initial capacitance is retained after 30,000 charging/discharging cycles. This study would also provide an effective way to boost devices' electrochemical performance by accommodating other active materials on the activated carbon cloth.

  2. Preparation, Surface and Pore Structure of High Surface Area Activated Carbon Fibers from Bamboo by Steam Activation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiaojun Ma

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available High surface area activated carbon fibers (ACF have been prepared from bamboo by steam activation after liquefaction and curing. The influences of activation temperature on the microstructure, surface area and porosity were investigated. The results showed that ACF from bamboo at 850 °C have the maximum iodine and methylene blue adsorption values. Aside from the graphitic carbon, phenolic and carbonyl groups were the predominant functions on the surface of activated carbon fiber from bamboo. The prepared ACF from bamboo were found to be mainly type I of isotherm, but the mesoporosity presented an increasing trend after 700 °C. The surface area and micropore volume of samples, which were determined by application of the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET and t-plot methods, were as high as 2024 m2/g and 0.569 cm3/g, respectively. It was also found that the higher activation temperature produced the more ordered microcrystalline structure of ACF from bamboo.

  3. Activated polyaniline-based carbon nanoparticles for high performance supercapacitors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhou, Jin; Zhu, Tingting; Xing, Wei; Li, Zhaohui; Shen, Honglong; Zhuo, Shuping

    2015-01-01

    Polyaniline (PANI) nanoparticles have been prepared by disperse polymerization of aniline in the presence of poly(4-styrenesulfonate). The PANI nanoparticles are further subjected to pyrolysis treatment and chemical-activation to prepare the activated nitrogen-doped carbon nanoparticles (APCNs). The porosity, structure and nitrogen-doped surface chemistry are analyzed by a varies of means, such as scanning electron microscopy, transition electron microscopy, N 2 sorption, X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The capacitive performance of the APCNs materials are test in 6 M KOH electrolyte. Benefitting from the abundant micropores with short length, large specific surface area, hierarchical porosity and heteroatom-doped polar pore surface, the APCNs materials exhibit v exhibit very high specific capacitance up to 341 F g −1 , remarkable power capability and excellent long-term cyclic stability (96.6% after 10 000 cycles). At 40 A g −1 , APCN-2 carbon shows a capacitance of 164 F g −1 , responding to a high energy and power densities of 5.7 Wh kg −1 and 10 000 W kg −1

  4. High surface area microporous activated carbons prepared from Fox nut (Euryale ferox) shell by zinc chloride activation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kumar, Arvind; Mohan Jena, Hara, E-mail: hmjena@nitrkl.ac.in

    2015-11-30

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Activated carbons have been prepared from Fox nutshell with chemical activation using ZnCl{sub 2}. • The thermal behavior of the raw material and impregnated raw material has been carried out by thermogravimetric analysis. • The characterizations of the prepared activated carbons have been determined by nitrogen adsorption–desorption isotherms, FTIR, XRD, and FESEM. • The BET surface area and total pore volume of prepared activated carbon has been obtained as 2869 m{sup 2}/g, 2124 m{sup 2}/g, and 1.96 cm{sup 3}/g, respectively. • The microporous surface area, micropore volume, and microporosity percentage of prepared activated carbon has been obtained as 2124 m{sup 2}/g, 1.68 cm{sup 3}/g, and 85.71%, respectively. - Abstract: High surface area microporous activated carbon has been prepared from Fox nutshell (Euryale ferox) by chemical activation with ZnCl{sub 2} as an activator. The process has been conducted at different impregnation (ZnCl{sub 2}/Fox nutshell) ratios (1–2.5) and carbonization temperatures (500–700 °C). The thermal decomposition behavior of Fox nutshell and impregnated Fox nutshell has been carried out by thermogravimetric analysis. The pore properties including the BET surface area, micropore surface area, micropore volume, and pore size distribution of the activated carbons have been determined by nitrogen adsorption–desorption isotherms at −196 °C using the BET, t-plot method, DR, and BJH methods. The BET surface area, the microporous surface area, total pore volume, and micropore volume have been obtained as 2869 m{sup 2}/g, 2124 m{sup 2}/g, 1.96 cm{sup 3}/g, and 1.68 cm{sup 3}/g, respectively, and the microporosity percentage of the prepared activated carbon is 85.71%. The prepared activated carbons have been also characterized with instrumental methods such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM).

  5. High surface area microporous activated carbons prepared from Fox nut (Euryale ferox) shell by zinc chloride activation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kumar, Arvind; Mohan Jena, Hara

    2015-01-01

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Activated carbons have been prepared from Fox nutshell with chemical activation using ZnCl 2 . • The thermal behavior of the raw material and impregnated raw material has been carried out by thermogravimetric analysis. • The characterizations of the prepared activated carbons have been determined by nitrogen adsorption–desorption isotherms, FTIR, XRD, and FESEM. • The BET surface area and total pore volume of prepared activated carbon has been obtained as 2869 m 2 /g, 2124 m 2 /g, and 1.96 cm 3 /g, respectively. • The microporous surface area, micropore volume, and microporosity percentage of prepared activated carbon has been obtained as 2124 m 2 /g, 1.68 cm 3 /g, and 85.71%, respectively. - Abstract: High surface area microporous activated carbon has been prepared from Fox nutshell (Euryale ferox) by chemical activation with ZnCl 2 as an activator. The process has been conducted at different impregnation (ZnCl 2 /Fox nutshell) ratios (1–2.5) and carbonization temperatures (500–700 °C). The thermal decomposition behavior of Fox nutshell and impregnated Fox nutshell has been carried out by thermogravimetric analysis. The pore properties including the BET surface area, micropore surface area, micropore volume, and pore size distribution of the activated carbons have been determined by nitrogen adsorption–desorption isotherms at −196 °C using the BET, t-plot method, DR, and BJH methods. The BET surface area, the microporous surface area, total pore volume, and micropore volume have been obtained as 2869 m 2 /g, 2124 m 2 /g, 1.96 cm 3 /g, and 1.68 cm 3 /g, respectively, and the microporosity percentage of the prepared activated carbon is 85.71%. The prepared activated carbons have been also characterized with instrumental methods such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM).

  6. Activated carbon derived from melaleuca barks for outstanding high-rate supercapacitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luo, Qiu-Ping; Huang, Liang; Gao, Xiang; Cheng, Yongliang; Yao, Bin; Hu, Zhimi; Wan, Jun; Xiao, Xu; Zhou, Jun

    2015-07-01

    Activated carbon (AC) was prepared via carbonizing melaleuca bark in an argon atmosphere at 600 °C followed with KOH activation for high-rate supercapacitors. This AC electrode has a high capacitance of 233 F g-1 at a scan rate of 2 mV s-1 and an excellent rate capability of ˜80% when increasing the sweep rate from 2 to 500 mV s-1. The symmetric supercapacitor assembled by the above electrode can deliver a high energy density of 4.2 Wh kg-1 with a power density of 1500 W kg-1 when operated in the voltage range of 0-1 V in 1 M H2SO4 aqueous electrolyte while maintaining great cycling stability (less than 5% capacitance loss after 10 000 cycles at sweep rate of 100 mV s-1). All the outstanding electrochemical performances make this AC electrode a promising candidate for potential energy storage application.

  7. Highly effective catalytic peroxymonosulfate activation on N-doped mesoporous carbon for o-phenylphenol degradation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hou, Jifei; Yang, Shasha; Wan, Haiqin; Fu, Heyun; Qu, Xiaolei; Xu, Zhaoyi; Zheng, Shourong

    2018-04-01

    As a broad-spectrum preservative, toxic o-phenylphenol (OPP) was frequently detected in aquatic environments. In this study, N-doped mesoporous carbon was prepared by a hard template method using different nitrogen precursors and carbonization temperatures (i.e., 700, 850 and 1000 °C), and was used to activate peroxymonosulfate (PMS) for OPP degradation. For comparison, mesoporous carbon (CMK-3) was also prepared. Characterization results showed that the N-doped mesoporous carbon samples prepared under different conditions were perfect replica of their template. In comparison with ethylenediamine (EDA) and dicyandiamide (DCDA) as the precursors, N-doped mesoporous carbon prepared using EDA and carbon tetrachloride as the precursors displayed a higher catalytic activity for OPP degradation. Increasing carbonization temperature of N-doped mesoporous carbon led to decreased N content and increased graphitic N content at the expense of pyridinic and pyrrolic N. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) analysis showed that PMS activation on N-doped mesoporous carbon resulted in highly active species and singlet oxygen, and catalytic PMS activation for OPP degradation followed a combined radical and nonradical reaction mechanism. Increasing PMS concentration enhanced OPP degradation, while OPP degradation rate was independent on initial OPP concentration. Furthermore, the dependency of OPP degradation on PMS concentration followed the Langmuir-Hinshelwood model, reflecting that the activation of adsorbed PMS was the rate controlling step. Based on the analysis by time-of-flight mass spectrometry, the degradation pathway of OPP was proposed. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Activated Biomass-derived Graphene-based Carbons for Supercapacitors with High Energy and Power Density.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jung, SungHoon; Myung, Yusik; Kim, Bit Na; Kim, In Gyoo; You, In-Kyu; Kim, TaeYoung

    2018-01-30

    Here, we present a facile and low-cost method to produce hierarchically porous graphene-based carbons from a biomass source. Three-dimensional (3D) graphene-based carbons were produced through continuous sequential steps such as the formation and transformation of glucose-based polymers into 3D foam-like structures and their subsequent carbonization to form the corresponding macroporous carbons with thin graphene-based carbon walls of macropores and intersectional carbon skeletons. Physical and chemical activation was then performed on this carbon to create micro- and meso-pores, thereby producing hierarchically porous biomass-derived graphene-based carbons with a high Brunauer-Emmett-Teller specific surface area of 3,657 m 2  g -1 . Owing to its exceptionally high surface area, interconnected hierarchical pore networks, and a high degree of graphitization, this carbon exhibited a high specific capacitance of 175 F g -1 in ionic liquid electrolyte. A supercapacitor constructed with this carbon yielded a maximum energy density of 74 Wh kg -1 and a maximum power density of 408 kW kg -1 , based on the total mass of electrodes, which is comparable to those of the state-of-the-art graphene-based carbons. This approach holds promise for the low-cost and readily scalable production of high performance electrode materials for supercapacitors.

  9. Polyaniline-Coated Activated Carbon Aerogel/Sulfur Composite for High-performance Lithium-Sulfur Battery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tang, Zhiwei; Jiang, Jinglin; Liu, Shaohong; Chen, Luyi; Liu, Ruliang; Zheng, Bingna; Fu, Ruowen; Wu, Dingcai

    2017-12-01

    An activated carbon aerogel (ACA-500) with high surface area (1765 m2 g-1), pore volume (2.04 cm3 g-1), and hierarchical porous nanonetwork structure is prepared through direct activation of organic aerogel (RC-500) with a low potassium hydroxide ratio (1:1). Based on this substrate, a polyaniline (PANi)-coated activated carbon aerogel/sulfur (ACA-500-S@PANi) composite is prepared via a simple two-step procedure, including melt-infiltration of sublimed sulfur into ACA-500, followed by an in situ polymerization of aniline on the surface of ACA-500-S composite. The obtained ACA-500-S@PANi composite delivers a high reversible capacity up to 1208 mAh g-1 at 0.2C and maintains 542 mAh g-1 even at a high rate (3C). Furthermore, this composite exhibits a discharge capacity of 926 mAh g-1 at the initial cycle and 615 mAh g-1 after 700 cycles at 1C rate, revealing an extremely low capacity decay rate (0.48‰ per cycle). The excellent electrochemical performance of ACA-500-S@PANi can be attributed to the synergistic effect of hierarchical porous nanonetwork structure and PANi coating. Activated carbon aerogels with high surface area and unique three-dimensional (3D) interconnected hierarchical porous structure offer an efficient conductive network for sulfur, and a highly conductive PANi-coating layer further enhances conductivity of the electrode and prevents the dissolution of polysulfide species.

  10. Activated carbon derived from chitosan as air cathode catalyst for high performance in microbial fuel cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Yi; Zhao, Yong; Li, Kexun; Wang, Zhong; Tian, Pei; Liu, Di; Yang, Tingting; Wang, Junjie

    2018-02-01

    Chitosan with rich of nitrogen is used as carbon precursor to synthesis activated carbon through directly heating method in this study. The obtained carbon is activated by different amount of KOH at different temperatures, and then prepared as air cathodes for microbial fuel cells. Carbon sample treated with double amount of KOH at 850 °C exhibits maximum power density (1435 ± 46 mW m-2), 1.01 times improved, which ascribes to the highest total surface area, moderate micropore and mesoporous structure and the introduction of nitrogen. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and powder resistivity state that carbon treated with double amount of KOH at 850 °C possesses lower resistance. The other electrochemical measurements demonstrate that the best kinetic activity make the above treated sample to show the best oxygen reduction reaction activity. Besides, the degree of graphitization of samples increases with the activated temperature increasing, which is tested by Raman. According to elemental analysis and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, all chitosan samples are nitrogen-doped carbon, and high content nitrogen (pyridinic-N) improves the electrochemical activity of carbon treated with KOH at 850 °C. Thus, carbon materials derived from chitosan would be an optimized catalyst for oxygen reduction reaction in microbial fuel cell.

  11. Preparation of activated carbon from western Canadian high rank coals

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kovacik, G.; Wong, B.; Furimsky, E. [Alberta Research Council, Devon, AB (Canada). Coal and Hydrocarbon Processing Dept.

    1995-01-01

    Partial steam gasification of Mt. Klappan anthracite and Cascade semianthracite with char conversion greater than 60%, produced activated carbons with surface areas greater than 1000 m{sup 2}/g. The pore structures of the activated carbons were predominantly microporous and mesoporous. The proportions of macropores were of the order of 2%. Fuel gas produced during steam activation of chars contained predominantly combustible gases i.e. 45-55% H{sub 2} and 30-40% CO whereas the amount of CO{sub 2} ranged between 5 and 15%. Correlations of char conversion with operating parameters and surface areas were developed and used to predict the activation process. Selected samples of activated carbons were characterized for the water and wastewater treatment as well as for gold recovery. 7 refs., 3 figs., 7 tabs.

  12. Adsorption and desorption of pertechnetate on activated carbon

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dano, M.; Galambos, M.; Rajec, P.; Viglasova, E.; Krajnak, A.; Novak, I.

    2014-01-01

    High surface area, a microporous structure, and a high degree of surface reactivity make activated carbons versatile adsorbents, particularly effective in the adsorption of radionuclides from aqueous solutions. The most important property of activated carbon, the property that determines its usage, is the pore structure. The total number of pores, their shape and size determine the adsorption capacity and even the dynamic adsorption rate of the activated carbon. This report is dedicated to sorption properties of new activated carbon sorbents. (authors)

  13. Flute type micropores activated carbon from cotton stalk for high performance supercapacitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tian, Xun; Ma, Hongru; Li, Zhe; Yan, Shaocun; Ma, Lei; Yu, Feng; Wang, Gang; Guo, Xuhong; Ma, Yanqing; Wong, Chingping

    2017-08-01

    Flute type micropores activated carbon (FTMAC) has been successfully obtained from cotton stalk via KOH-chemical activation method. The synthesized carbon material exhibits an ordered pore structure with high specific surface area of 1964.46 m2 g-1 and pore volume of 1.03 m3 g-1. The assembled FTMAC-based electrode delivers a high specific capacitance of 254 F g-1 at a current density of 0.2 A g-1 in 1 M H2SO4 aqueous electrolyte. It still can maintain 221 F g-1at a current density of 10 A g-1, demonstrating a good rate capacity (87% retention), as well as long cyclic stability of 96% capacitance retention after 10000 charging and discharging cycles at current density of 1 A g-1. Moreover, the symmetric supercapacitor can deliver a high energy density of 18.14 W h kg-1 and a power density of 450.37 W kg-1 which is operated in the voltage range of 0-1.8 V.

  14. Ultrahigh gas storage both at low and high pressures in KOH-activated carbonized porous aromatic frameworks.

    KAUST Repository

    Li, Yanqiang; Ben, Teng; Zhang, Bingyao; Fu, Yao; Qiu, Shilun

    2013-01-01

    The carbonized PAF-1 derivatives formed by high-temperature KOH activation showed a unique bimodal microporous structure located at 0.6 nm and 1.2 nm and high surface area. These robust micropores were confirmed by nitrogen sorption experiment and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Carbon dioxide, methane and hydrogen sorption experiments indicated that these novel porous carbon materials have significant gas sorption abilities in both low-pressure and high-pressure environments. Moreover the methane storage ability of K-PAF-1-750 is among the best at 35 bars, and its low-pressure gas adsorption abilities are also comparable to the best porous materials in the world. Combined with excellent physicochemical stability, these materials are very promising for industrial applications such as carbon dioxide capture and high-density clean energy storage.

  15. High energy density supercapacitors from lignin derived submicron activated carbon fibers in aqueous electrolytes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Sixiao; Zhang, Sanliang; Pan, Ning; Hsieh, You-Lo

    2014-12-01

    Highly porous submicron activated carbon fibers (ACFs) were robustly generated from low sulfonated alkali lignin and fabricated into supercapacitors for capacitive energy storage. The hydrophilic and high specific surface ACFs exhibited large-size nanographites and good electrical conductivity to demonstrate outstanding electrochemical performance. ACFs from KOH activation, in particular, showed very high 344 F g-1 specific capacitance at low 1.8 mg cm-2 mass loading and 10 mV s-1 scan rate in aqueous electrolytes. Even at relatively high scan rate of 50 mV s-1 and mass loading of 10 mg cm-2, a decent specific capacitance of 196 F g-1 and a remarkable areal capacitance of 0.55 F cm-2 was obtained, leading to high energy density of 8.1 Wh kg-1 based on averaged electrodes mass. Furthermore, over 96% capacitance retention rates were achieved after 5000 charge/discharge cycles. Such excellent performance demonstrated great potential of lignin derived carbons for electrical energy storage.

  16. Preparation and characterization of CeO2 highly dispersed on activated carbon

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Serrano-Ruiz, J.C.; Ramos-Fernandez, E.V.; Silvestre-Albero, J.; Sepulveda-Escribano, A.; Rodriguez-Reinoso, F.

    2008-01-01

    A new material constituted by cerium dioxide highly dispersed on activated carbon (CeO 2 /AC) was prepared by an impregnation method using cerium(III) nitrate as CeO 2 precursor. In order to evaluate the degree of ceria dispersion on the carbon support, CeO 2 /AC was characterized by a number of techniques: thermogravimetry coupled with a mass spectrometer (TG-MS), N 2 adsorption at 77 K, temperature-programmed desorption (TPD), temperature-programmed reduction (TPR) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The analysis of the decomposition process under inert atmosphere indicated that cerium nitrate decomposes at 440-460 K, with the evolution of NO. Furthermore, this process produces an additional oxidation of the carbon surface (with evolution of N 2 O) and the subsequent onset of new oxygen surface groups, detected by means of temperature-programmed desorption. The ceria deposition process takes place with a decrease in the N 2 adsorption capacity of the starting carbon support, and the analysis of the pore size distribution showed that the majority of ceria particles are situated at the most internal part of the carbon porosity. The temperature-programmed reduction profile of CeO 2 /AC was very different to that shown by unsupported CeO 2 , with only one continuous reduction process at low temperatures (800-900 K). Finally, TEM pictures gave direct evidence that ceria is highly dispersed on the carbon surface, with a narrow CeO 2 particle distribution centred around 3 nm

  17. High Pressure Adsorption Isotherm of CO2 on Activated Carbon using Volumetric Method

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Awaludin Martin

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available Adsorption system is ones of the most effective methods for CO2 separating with other substances that produced from the burning of fossil fuels. In the design for that application, beside of characteristics of porous material (adsorbent data, CO2 adsorption data on the adsorbent (kinetic and thermodynamic are also needed. The aim of this research is resulting isothermal adsorption data at pressures up to 3.5 MPa by indirect methods (volumetric method at isothermal temperature of 300, 308, 318 and 338 K. Adsorbent that used in this research is activated carbon made from East of Kalimantan coals by physical activation method (CO2 which is the surface area of activated carbon is 668 m2/g and pore volume is 0.47 mL/g. Carbon dioxide (CO2 that used in this research is high purity carbon dioxide with a purity of 99.9%. Data from the experiment results then correlated using the Langmuir and Toth equations model. The results showed that the maximum adsorption capacity is 0.314 kg/kg at 300 K and 3384.69 kPa. The results of regression of experiment data using Langmuir and Toth models were 3.4% and 1.7%.

  18. High surface area carbon and process for its production

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Romanos, Jimmy; Burress, Jacob; Pfeifer, Peter; Rash, Tyler; Shah, Parag; Suppes, Galen

    2016-12-13

    Activated carbon materials and methods of producing and using activated carbon materials are provided. In particular, biomass-derived activated carbon materials and processes of producing the activated carbon materials with prespecified surface areas and pore size distributions are provided. Activated carbon materials with preselected high specific surface areas, porosities, sub-nm (<1 nm) pore volumes, and supra-nm (1-5 nm) pore volumes may be achieved by controlling the degree of carbon consumption and metallic potassium intercalation into the carbon lattice during the activation process.

  19. High power density supercapacitors based on the carbon dioxide activated D-glucose derived carbon electrodes and 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ionic liquid

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tooming, T.; Thomberg, T.; Kurig, H.; Jänes, A.; Lust, E.

    2015-04-01

    The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, constant current charge/discharge and the constant power discharge methods have been applied to establish the electrochemical characteristics of the electrical double-layer capacitor (EDLC) consisting of the 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (EMImBF4) ionic liquid and microporous carbon electrodes. Microporous carbon material used for preparation of electrodes (GDAC - glucose derived activated carbon), has been synthesised from D-(+)-glucose by the hydrothermal carbonization method, including subsequent pyrolysis, carbon dioxide activation and surface cleaning step with hydrogen. The Brunauer-Emmett-Teller specific surface area (SBET = 1540 m2 g-1), specific surface area calculated using the non-local density functional theory in conjunction with stable adsorption integral equation using splines (SAIEUS) model SSAIEUS = 1820 m2 g-1, micropore surface area (Smicro = 1535 m2 g-1), total pore volume (Vtot = 0.695 cm3 g-1) and the pore size distribution were obtained from the N2 sorption data. The SBET, Smicro and Vtot values have been correlated with the electrochemical characteristics strongly dependent on the carbon activation conditions applied for EDLCs. Wide region of ideal polarizability (ΔV ≤ 3.2 V), very short charging/discharging time constant (2.7 s), and high specific series capacitance (158 F g-1) have been calculated for the optimized carbon material GDAC-10h (activation of GDAC with CO2 during 10 h) in EMImBF4 demonstrating that this system can be used for completing the EDLC with high energy- and power densities.

  20. Strong linkage between active microbial communities and microbial carbon usage in a deglaciated terrain of the High Arctic

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, M.; Gyeong, H. R.; Lee, Y. K.

    2017-12-01

    Soil microorganisms play pivotal roles in ecosystem development and carbon cycling in newly exposed glacier forelands. However, little is known about carbon utilization pattern by metabolically active microbes over the course of ecosystem succession in these nutrient-poor environments. We investigated RNA-based microbial community dynamics and its relation to microbial carbon usage along the chronosequence of a High Arctic glacier foreland. Among microbial taxa surveyed (bacteria, archaea and fungi), bacteria are among the most metabolically active taxa with a dominance of Cyanobacteria and Actinobacteria. There was a strong association between microbial carbon usage and active Actinobacterial communities, suggesting that member of Actinobacteria are actively involved in organic carbon degradation in glacier forelands. Both bacterial community and microbial carbon usage are converged towards later stage of succession, indicating that the composition of soil organic carbon plays important roles in structuring bacterial decomposer communities during ecosystem development.

  1. Activation and micropore structure determination of activated carbon-fiber composites

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jagtoyen, M.; Derbyshire, F.; Kimber, G. [Univ. of Kentucky, Lexington, KY (United States). Center for Applied Energy Research

    1997-09-05

    Rigid, high surface area activated carbon fiber composites have been produced with high permeabilities for environmental applications in gas and water purification. These novel monolithic adsorbents can be produced in single pieces to a given size and shape. The project involves a collaboration between the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and the Center for Applied Energy Research (CAER), University of Kentucky. The carbon fiber composites are produced at the ORNL and activated at the CAER using different methods, with the aims of producing a uniform degree of activation, and of closely controlling pore structure and adsorptive properties. The main focus of the present work has been to find a satisfactory means to uniformly activate large samples of carbon fiber composites and produce controlled pore structures. Several environmental applications have been explored for the activated carbon fiber composites. One of these was to evaluate the activated composites for the separation of CH{sub 4}-CO{sub 2} mixtures, and an apparatus was constructed specifically for this purpose. The composites were further evaluated in the cyclic recovery of volatile organics. The activated carbon fiber composites have also been tested for possible water treatment applications by studying the adsorption of sodium pentachlorophenolate, PCP.

  2. High-Surface-Area, Emulsion-Templated Carbon Foams by Activation of polyHIPEs Derived from Pickering Emulsions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Robert T. Woodward

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Carbon foams displaying hierarchical porosity and excellent surface areas of >1400 m2/g can be produced by the activation of macroporous poly(divinylbenzene. Poly(divinylbenzene was synthesized from the polymerization of the continuous, but minority, phase of a simple high internal phase Pickering emulsion. By the addition of KOH, chemical activation of the materials is induced during carbonization, producing Pickering-emulsion-templated carbon foams, or carboHIPEs, with tailorable macropore diameters and surface areas almost triple that of those previously reported. The retention of the customizable, macroporous open-cell structure of the poly(divinylbenzene precursor and the production of a large degree of microporosity during activation leads to tailorable carboHIPEs with excellent surface areas.

  3. [Adsorption behavior and influence factors of p-nitroaniline on high surface area activated carbons prepared from plant stems].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Kun-quan; Zheng, Zheng; Luo, Xing-zhang

    2010-08-01

    Low-cost and high surface area microporous activated carbons were prepared from Spartina alternilora and cotton stalk with KOH activation under the conditions of impregnation ratio of 3.0, activation temperature at 800 degrees C and activation time of 1.5 h. The adsorption behavior of p-nitroaniline on the activated carbons was investigated by batch sorption experiments. The influences of solution pH value, adsorbent dose and temperature were investigated. The adsorption isotherm and thermodynamic characteristics were also discussed. The Spartina alterniflora activated carbon (SA-AC) has a high surface area of 2825 m2 x g(-1) and a micropore volume of 1.192 cm3 x g(-1). The BET surface area and micropore volume of the cotton stalk activated carbon (CS-AC) are 2135 m2 x g(-1) and 1.011 cm3 x g(-1), respectively. The sorption experiments show that both the activated carbons have high sorption capacity for p-nitroaniline. The Langmuir maximum sorption amount was found to be 719 mg x g(-1) for SA-AC and 716 mg x g(-1) for CS-AC, respectively. The sorption was found to depend on solution pH, adsorbent dose, and temperature. The optimum pH for the removal of p-nitroaniline was found to be 7.0. The Freundlich model and Redlich-Peterson model can describe the experimental data effectively. The negative changes in free energy (delta G0) and enthalpy (delta H0) indicate that the sorption is a spontaneous and exothermic procedure. The negative values of the adsorption entropy delta S0 indicate that the mobility of p-nitroaniline on the carbon surface becomes more restricted as compared with that of those in solution.

  4. Microstructure and surface properties of lignocellulosic-based activated carbons

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    González-García, P.; Centeno, T.A.; Urones-Garrote, E.; Ávila-Brande, D.; Otero-Díaz, L.C.

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: ► Activated carbons were produced by KOH activation at 700 °C. ► The observed nanostructure consists of highly disordered graphene–like layers with sp 2 bond content ≈ 95%. ► Textural parameters show high surface area (≈ 1000 m 2 /g) and pore width of 1.3–1.8 nm. ► Specific capacitance reaches values as high as 161 F/g. - Abstract: Low cost activated carbons have been produced via chemical activation, by using KOH at 700 °C, from the bamboo species Guadua Angustifolia and Bambusa Vulgaris Striata and the residues from shells of the fruits of Castanea Sativa and Juglans Regia as carbon precursors. The scanning electron microscopy micrographs show the conservation of the precursor shape in the case of the Guadua Angustifolia and Bambusa Vulgaris Striata activated carbons. Transmission electron microscopy analyses reveal that these materials consist of carbon platelet–like particles with variable length and thickness, formed by highly disordered graphene–like layers with sp 2 content ≈ 95% and average mass density of 1.65 g/cm 3 (25% below standard graphite). Textural parameters indicate a high porosity development with surface areas ranging from 850 to 1100 m 2 /g and average pore width centered in the supermicropores range (1.3–1.8 nm). The electrochemical performance of the activated carbons shows specific capacitance values at low current density (1 mA/cm 2 ) as high as 161 F/g in the Juglans Regia activated carbon, as a result of its textural parameters and the presence of pseudocapacitance derived from surface oxygenated acidic groups (mainly quinones and ethers) identified in this activated carbon.

  5. Production and characterization of granular activated carbon from activated sludge

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Z. Al-Qodah

    2009-03-01

    Full Text Available In this study, activated sludge was used as a precursor to prepare activated carbon using sulfuric acid as a chemical activation agent. The effect of preparation conditions on the produced activated carbon characteristics as an adsorbent was investigated. The results indicate that the produced activated carbon has a highly porous structure and a specific surface area of 580 m²/g. The FT-IR analysis depicts the presence of a variety of functional groups which explain its improved adsorption behavior against pesticides. The XRD analysis reveals that the produced activated carbon has low content of inorganic constituents compared with the precursor. The adsorption isotherm data were fitted to three adsorption isotherm models and found to closely fit the BET model with R² equal 0.948 at pH 3, indicating a multilayer of pesticide adsorption. The maximum loading capacity of the produced activated carbon was 110 mg pesticides/g adsorbent and was obtained at this pH value. This maximum loading was found experimentally to steeply decrease as the solution pH increases. The obtained results show that activated sludge is a promising low cost precursor for the production of activated carbon.

  6. Nanostructured composite TiO{sub 2}/carbon catalysts of high activity for dehydration of n-butanol

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cyganiuk, Aleksandra [Faculty of Chemistry, Nicolaus Copernicus University, 87-100 Torun (Poland); Klimkiewicz, Roman [Institute of Low Temperature and Structure Research PAN, 50-422 Wroclaw (Poland); Bumajdad, Ali [Faculty of Science, Kuwait University, PO Box 5969 Safat, Kuwait 13060 (Kuwait); Ilnicka, Anna [Faculty of Chemistry, Nicolaus Copernicus University, 87-100 Torun (Poland); Lukaszewicz, Jerzy P., E-mail: jerzy_lukaszewicz@o2.pl [Faculty of Chemistry, Nicolaus Copernicus University, 87-100 Torun (Poland)

    2015-08-15

    Highlights: • New biotechnological method for fabrication of composite catalysts. • In situ synthesis of nanosized TiO{sub 2} clusters in the carbon matrix. • High dispersion of TiO{sub 2} in carbon matrix. • High catalytic activity achieved for very low active phase content. • Efficient dehydration of n-butanol to butane-1. - Abstract: A novel method of wood impregnation with titanium ions is presented. Titanium(IV) ions were complexed to peroxo/hydroxo complexes which were obtained by treating a TiCl{sub 4} water solution with H{sub 2}O{sub 2}. The solution of chelated titanium ions was used for the impregnation of living stems of Salix viminalis wood. Saturated stems were carbonized at 600–800 °C, yielding a microporous carbon matrix, in which nanoparticles of TiO{sub 2} were uniformly distributed. A series of composite TiO{sub 2}–carbon catalysts was manufactured and tested in the process of n-butanol conversion to butane-1. The composite catalysts exhibited very high selectivity (ca. 80%) and yield (ca. 30%) despite a low content of titanium (ca. 0.5% atomic). The research proved that the proposed functionalization led to high dispersion of the catalytic phase (TiO{sub 2}), which played a crucial role in the catalyst performance. High dispersion of TiO{sub 2} was achieved due to a natural transport of complexed titanium ions in living plant stems.

  7. Studies of activated carbon and carbon black for supercapacitor applications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Richner, R; Mueller, S; Koetz, R; Wokaun, A [Paul Scherrer Inst. (PSI), Villigen (Switzerland)

    1999-08-01

    Carbon Black and activated carbon materials providing high surface areas and a distinct pore distribution are prime materials for supercapacitor applications at frequencies < 0.5 Hz. A number of these materials were tested for their specific capacitance, surface and pore size distribution. High capacitance electrodes were manufactured on the laboratory scale with attention to ease of processability. (author) 1 fig., 1 ref.

  8. Application of high resolution X-ray emission spectroscopy on the study of Cr ion adsorption by activated carbon

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Espinoza-Quinones, Fernando R.; Modenes, Aparecido N.; Camera, Adriana S.; Stutz, Guillermo; Tirao, German; Palacio, Soraya M.; Kroumov, Alexander D.; Oliveira, Ana P.; Alflen, Vanessa L.

    2010-01-01

    In this work granular activated carbon has been chosen as an absorbent in order to investigate the Cr(VI) reduced by adsorption experiments. Several batch chromium-sorption experiments were carried out using 0.25 g of granular activated carbon in 50 mL aqueous solution containing approximately 70 and 140 mg L -1 of Cr(VI) and Cr(III), respectively. Cr-Kβ fluorescence spectra of Cr adsorbed in a carbon matrix and Cr reference materials were measured using a high-resolution Johann-type spectrometer. Based on evidence from the Cr-Kb satellite lines, the Cr(VI) reduction process has actually happened during metal adsorption by the activated carbon.

  9. High value carbon materials from PET recycling

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Parra, J.B.; Ania, C.O.; Arenillas, A.; Rubiera, F.; Pis, J.J.

    2004-01-01

    Poly(ethylene) terephthalate (PET), has become one of the major post-consumer plastic waste. In this work special attention was paid to minimising PET residues and to obtain a high value carbon material. Pyrolysis and subsequent activation of PET from post-consumer soft-drink bottles was performed. Activation was carried out at 925 deg. C under CO 2 atmosphere to different burn-off degrees. Textural characterisation of the samples was carried out by performing N 2 adsorption isotherms at -196 deg. C. The obtained carbons materials were mainly microporous, presenting low meso and macroporosity, and apparent BET surface areas of upto 2500 m 2 g -1 . The capacity of these materials for phenol adsorption and PAHs removal from aqueous solutions was measured and compared with that attained with commercial active carbons. Preliminary tests also showed high hydrogen uptake values, as good as the results obtained with high-tech carbon materials

  10. A high-performance carbon derived from polyaniline for supercapacitors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yan, Jun [Harbin Engineering University, Harbin (China). Key Laboratory of Superlight Materials and Surface Technology; College of Automation, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin (China); Wei, Tong; Fan, Zhuangjun; Li, Tianyou [Harbin Engineering University, Harbin (China). Key Laboratory of Superlight Materials and Surface Technology; Qiao, Wenming [Harbin Engineering University, Harbin (China). Coll. of Material Science and Chemical Engineering; Zhang, Lijun; Zhao, Qiankun [College of Automation, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin (China)

    2010-10-15

    Activated carbon derived from rod-shaped polyaniline (the diameter of 170 nm) was synthesized by carbonization and subsequent activation with KOH. The obtained activated carbon exhibits a high specific capacitance (455 F g{sup -1}) and remarkable rate capability due to its high specific surface area (1976 m{sup 2}g{sup -1}), narrow pore size distribution (< 3 nm) as well as short diffusion length. It is indicated that the promising synthetic method used in this work can pave the way for designing new carbon based materials from different polymers for high-performance energy applications. (author)

  11. Making Activated Carbon by Wet Pressurized Pyrolysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fisher, John W.; Pisharody, Suresh; Wignarajah, K.; Moran, Mark

    2006-01-01

    A wet pressurized pyrolysis (wet carbonization) process has been invented as a means of producing activated carbon from a wide variety of inedible biomass consisting principally of plant wastes. The principal intended use of this activated carbon is room-temperature adsorption of pollutant gases from cooled incinerator exhaust streams. Activated carbon is highly porous and has a large surface area. The surface area depends strongly on the raw material and the production process. Coconut shells and bituminous coal are the primary raw materials that, until now, were converted into activated carbon of commercially acceptable quality by use of traditional production processes that involve activation by use of steam or carbon dioxide. In the wet pressurized pyrolysis process, the plant material is subjected to high pressure and temperature in an aqueous medium in the absence of oxygen for a specified amount of time to break carbon-oxygen bonds in the organic material and modify the structure of the material to obtain large surface area. Plant materials that have been used in demonstrations of the process include inedible parts of wheat, rice, potato, soybean, and tomato plants. The raw plant material is ground and mixed with a specified proportion of water. The mixture is placed in a stirred autoclave, wherein it is pyrolized at a temperature between 450 and 590 F (approximately between 230 and 310 C) and a pressure between 1 and 1.4 kpsi (approximately between 7 and 10 MPa) for a time between 5 minutes and 1 hour. The solid fraction remaining after wet carbonization is dried, then activated at a temperature of 500 F (260 C) in nitrogen gas. The activated carbon thus produced is comparable to commercial activated carbon. It can be used to adsorb oxides of sulfur, oxides of nitrogen, and trace amounts of hydrocarbons, any or all of which can be present in flue gas. Alternatively, the dried solid fraction can be used, even without the activation treatment, to absorb

  12. High value carbon materials from PET recycling

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Parra, J.B.; Ania, C.O.; Arenillas, A.; Rubiera, F.; Pis, J.J

    2004-11-15

    Poly(ethylene) terephthalate (PET), has become one of the major post-consumer plastic waste. In this work special attention was paid to minimising PET residues and to obtain a high value carbon material. Pyrolysis and subsequent activation of PET from post-consumer soft-drink bottles was performed. Activation was carried out at 925 deg. C under CO{sub 2} atmosphere to different burn-off degrees. Textural characterisation of the samples was carried out by performing N{sub 2} adsorption isotherms at -196 deg. C. The obtained carbons materials were mainly microporous, presenting low meso and macroporosity, and apparent BET surface areas of upto 2500 m{sup 2} g{sup -1}. The capacity of these materials for phenol adsorption and PAHs removal from aqueous solutions was measured and compared with that attained with commercial active carbons. Preliminary tests also showed high hydrogen uptake values, as good as the results obtained with high-tech carbon materials.

  13. High photocatalytic activity of immobilized TiO{sub 2} nanorods on carbonized cotton fibers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, Bin, E-mail: bwang23@cityu.edu.hk [Ability R and D Energy Research Center, School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong (China); Karthikeyan, Rengasamy; Lu, Xiao-Ying [Ability R and D Energy Research Center, School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong (China); Xuan, Jin [Ability R and D Energy Research Center, School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong (China); State-Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, School of Mechanical and Power Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237 (China); Leung, Michael K.H., E-mail: mkh.leung@cityu.edu.hk [Ability R and D Energy Research Center, School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong (China)

    2013-12-15

    Highlights: • Hollow carbon fibers derived from natural cotton was successfully prepared by pyrolysis method. • TiO{sub 2} nanorods immobilized on carbon fibers by a facile hydrothermal method showed high photocatalytic activity. • The enhancement was due to the reduced band gap, improved dye adsorption capacity and effective electron–hole separation. -- Abstract: In this study, TiO{sub 2} nanorods were successfully immobilized on carbon fibers by a facile pyrolysis of natural cotton in nitrogen atmosphere followed by a one-pot hydrothermal method. Carbonized cotton fibers (CCFs) and TiO{sub 2}-CCFs composites were characterized using field-emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffractometer (XRD), diffuse reflectance UV–vis spectroscopy (DRS) and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. Results implied that the band gap narrowing of TiO{sub 2} was achieved after integration of CCFs. Dye adsorption isotherm indicated that the maximum dye adsorption capacity (q{sub m}) of CCFs-1000 (13.4 mg/g) was 2 times higher than that of cotton fibers and q{sub m} of TiO{sub 2}-CCFs-1000 (9.0 mg/g) was 6–7 times higher than that of TiO{sub 2} nanorods. Photocatalytic activity of TiO{sub 2} nanorods prepared with 3 mL Ti(OBu){sub 4} showed the highest photocatalytic activity. TiO{sub 2}-CCFs-1000 exhibited higher activity than TiO{sub 2} immobilized on CCFs-400, CCFs-600 and CCFs-800. Good photostability of TiO{sub 2}-CCFs-1000 was found for dye degradation under visible light irradiation. The enhancement of photocatalytic dye degradation was due to the high adsorptivity of dye molecules, enhanced light adsorption and effective separation of electron–hole pairs. This work provides a low-cost and sustainable approach to immobilize nanostructured TiO{sub 2} on carbon fibers for environmental remediation.

  14. Carbon fiber/SiC composite for reduced activation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Noda, T.; Araki, H.; Abe, F.; Okada, M.

    1991-01-01

    A carbon fiber/SiC composite fabricated by a chemical vapor infiltration process at 1173-1623 K was studied to develop a low-activation material. A high-purity composite was obtained with the total amount of impurities less than 0.02 wt%. The microstructure and the mechanical properties using a bend test were examined. A composite with woven carbon yarn showed both high strength and toughness. Further, the induced activity of the material was evaluated by calculations simulating fusion neutron irradiation. The carbon fiber/SiC composite shows an excellent low-activation behavior. (orig.)

  15. Active metal brazing of titanium to high-conductivity carbon-based sandwich structures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Singh, M.; Morscher, Gregory N.; Shpargel, Tarah P.; Asthana, Rajiv

    2008-01-01

    Reactive brazing technology was developed and processing parameters were optimized for the bonding of titanium tubes, graphite foam, and high-conductivity carbon-carbon composite face sheets using the active braze Cusil-ABA paste and foils. The microstructure and composition of the joints, examined using scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive spectroscopy, showed good bonding and braze penetration in all systems when braze paste was used. The hardness values of the brazed joints were consistent for the different specimen stacking configurations. Mechanical testing of Ti tube/foam/C-C composite structures both in tension and shear showed that failure always occurred in the foam material demonstrating that the brazed joint was sufficient for these types of sandwich structures

  16. [Study on influence between activated carbon property and immobilized biological activated carbon purification effect].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Guang-zhi; Li, Wei-guang; He, Wen-jie; Han, Hong-da; Ding, Chi; Ma, Xiao-na; Qu, Yan-ming

    2006-10-01

    By means of immobilizing five kinds of activated carbon, we studied the influence between the chief activated carbon property items and immobilized bioactivated carbon (IBAC) purification effect with the correlation analysis. The result shows that the activated carbon property items which the correlation coefficient is up 0.7 include molasses, abrasion number, hardness, tannin, uniform coefficient, mean particle diameter and effective particle diameter; the activated carbon property items which the correlation coefficient is up 0.5 include pH, iodine, butane and tetrachloride. In succession, the partial correlation analysis shows that activated carbon property items mostly influencing on IBAC purification effect include molasses, hardness, abrasion number, uniform coefficient, mean particle diameter and effective particle diameter. The causation of these property items bringing influence on IBAC purification is that the activated carbon holes distribution (representative activated carbon property item is molasses) provides inhabitable location and adjust food for the dominance bacteria; the mechanical resist-crash property of activated carbon (representative activated carbon property items: abrasion number and hardness) have influence on the stability of biofilm; and the particle diameter size and distribution of activated carbon (representative activated carbon property items: uniform coefficient, mean particle diameter and effective particle diameter) can directly affect the force of water in IBAC filter bed, which brings influence on the dominance bacteria immobilizing on activated carbon.

  17. Microstructure and surface properties of lignocellulosic-based activated carbons

    Science.gov (United States)

    González-García, P.; Centeno, T. A.; Urones-Garrote, E.; Ávila-Brande, D.; Otero-Díaz, L. C.

    2013-01-01

    Low cost activated carbons have been produced via chemical activation, by using KOH at 700 °C, from the bamboo species Guadua Angustifolia and Bambusa Vulgaris Striata and the residues from shells of the fruits of Castanea Sativa and Juglans Regia as carbon precursors. The scanning electron microscopy micrographs show the conservation of the precursor shape in the case of the Guadua Angustifolia and Bambusa Vulgaris Striata activated carbons. Transmission electron microscopy analyses reveal that these materials consist of carbon platelet-like particles with variable length and thickness, formed by highly disordered graphene-like layers with sp2 content ≈ 95% and average mass density of 1.65 g/cm3 (25% below standard graphite). Textural parameters indicate a high porosity development with surface areas ranging from 850 to 1100 m2/g and average pore width centered in the supermicropores range (1.3-1.8 nm). The electrochemical performance of the activated carbons shows specific capacitance values at low current density (1 mA/cm2) as high as 161 F/g in the Juglans Regia activated carbon, as a result of its textural parameters and the presence of pseudocapacitance derived from surface oxygenated acidic groups (mainly quinones and ethers) identified in this activated carbon.

  18. PEEK: An excellent precursor for activated carbon production for high temperature application

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cansado, I.P.P.; Goncalves, F.A.M.M.; Nabais, J.M.V.; Ribeiro Carrott, M.M.L.; Carrott, P.J.M.

    2009-01-01

    A series of activated carbons (AC) with high apparent surface area and very high micropore volumes were prepared from granulated PEEK (poly[oxy-1,4-phenylene-oxy-1,4-phenylene-carbonyl-1,4-phenylene]) by physical activation with CO 2 at different temperatures and different activation times. The carbonisation yields at 873, 1073 and 1173 K were 57, 52 and 51%. As the activation temperature increased, between 873 and 1173 K, the burn-off, the micropore volume and mean pore size increased too. Those prepared at 1173 K, with 74% burn-off, present an extremely high apparent surface area (2874 m 2 g - 1 ) and a very high micropore volume (1.27 cm 3 g - 1 ). The presence of pyrone groups, identified by FTIR, on the AC surface corroborates the prevalence of a basic point of zero charge, always higher than 9.2. The thermal stability was checked by thermogravimetric analysis and as the carbonisation temperature increased the thermal stability of the char increased too. All AC obtained from PEEK by physical activation at 1173 K are thermally resistant, as at 1073 K the loss of the initial mass was less than 15%. The collective results confirm that PEEK is an excellent precursor for preparing AC with a high carbonisation yield, a high micropore volume and apparent surface area and a very high resistance at elevated temperature. (author)

  19. Preparation and characterization of activated carbon produced from pomegranate seeds by ZnCl 2 activation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Uçar, Suat; Erdem, Murat; Tay, Turgay; Karagöz, Selhan

    2009-08-01

    In this study, pomegranate seeds, a by-product of fruit juice industry, were used as precursor for the preparation of activated carbon by chemical activation with ZnCl 2. The influence of process variables such as the carbonization temperature and the impregnation ratio on textural and chemical-surface properties of the activated carbons was studied. When using the 2.0 impregnation ratio at the carbonization temperature of 600 °C, the specific surface area of the resultant carbon is as high as 978.8 m 2 g -1. The results showed that the surface area and total pore volume of the activated carbons at the lowest impregnation ratio and the carbonization temperature were achieved as high as 709.4 m 2 g -1 and 0.329 cm 3 g -1. The surface area was strongly influenced by the impregnation ratio of activation reagent and the subsequent carbonization temperature.

  20. ACTIVATED CARBON (CHARCOAL OBTAINING . APPLICATION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Florin CIOFU

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available The activated carbon is a microporous sorbent with a very large adsorption area that can reach in some cases even 1500sqm / gram. Activated carbon is produced from any organic material with high carbon content: coal, wood, peat or moor coal, coconut shells. The granular activated charcoal is most commonly produced by grinding the raw material, adding a suitable binder to provide the desired hardness and shape. Enabling coal is a complete process through which the raw material is fully exposed to temperatures between 600-900 degrees C, in the absence of oxygen, usually in a domestic atmosphere as gases such as nitrogen or argon; as material that results from this process is exposed in an atmosphere of oxygen and steam at a temperature in the interval from 600 - 1200 degrees C.

  1. Sorption Studies of Chromium(VI and Mercury(II by High Temperature Activated Carbon from Syzygium Jambolanum Nut

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. Sophie Beulah

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available High temperature activated Syzygium Jambolanum nut carbon (HSJC has been effectively used for the removal of Cr(VI and Hg(II from aqueous solution by batch experiments. Effect of pH, carbon dose and equilibration time were determined. Adsorption followed Freundlich and Langmuir isotherms. Kinetic studies indicated that the removal process followed reversible first order equation. Desorption of Cr(VI was done with 1 M NaOH and 10% H2O2 mixture and Hg(II with 2% Na2S in 1% NaOH. The performance of HSJC was compared with a commercial activated carbon (CAC.

  2. Preparation and characterization of activated carbon from rubber-seed shell by physical activation with steam

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sun, Kang; Jiang, Jian chun

    2010-01-01

    The use of rubber-seed shell as a raw material for the production of activated carbon with physical activation was investigated. The produced activated carbons were characterized by Nitrogen adsorption isotherms, Scanning electron microscope, Thermo-gravimetric and Differential scanning calorimetric in order to understand the rubber-seed shell activated carbon. The results showed that rubber-seed shell is a good precursor for activated carbon. The optimal activation condition is: temperature 880 o C, steam flow 6 kg h -1 , residence time 60 min. Characteristics of activated carbon with a high yield (30.5%) are: specific surface area (S BET ) 948 m 2 g -1 , total volume 0.988 m 3 kg -1 , iodine number of adsorbent (q iodine ) 1.326 g g -1 , amount of methylene blue adsorption of adsorbent (q mb ) 265 mg g -1 , hardness 94.7%. It is demonstrated that rubber-seed shell is an attractive source of raw material for producing high capacity activated carbon by physical activation with steam.

  3. Design of Low Cost, Highly Adsorbent Activated Carbon Fibers

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Mangun, Christian

    2003-01-01

    .... EKOS has developed a novel activated carbon fiber - (ACF) that combines the low cost and durability of GAC with tailored pore size and pore surface chemistry for improved defense against chemical agents...

  4. Core-shell N-doped active carbon fiber@graphene composites for aqueous symmetric supercapacitors with high-energy and high-power density

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xie, Qinxing; Bao, Rongrong; Xie, Chao; Zheng, Anran; Wu, Shihua; Zhang, Yufeng; Zhang, Renwei; Zhao, Peng

    2016-06-01

    Graphene wrapped nitrogen-doped active carbon fibers (ACF@GR) of a core-shell structure were successfully prepared by a simple dip-coating method using natural silk as template. Compared to pure silk active carbon, the as-prepared ACF@GR composites exhibit high specific surface area in a range of 1628-2035 m2 g-1, as well as superior energy storage capability, an extremely high single-electrode capacitance of 552.8 F g-1 was achieved at a current density of 0.1 A g-1 in 6 M KOH aqueous electrolyte. The assembled aqueous symmetric supercapacitors are capable of deliver both high energy density and high power density, for instance, 17.1 Wh kg-1 at a power density of 50.0 W kg-1, and 12.2 Wh kg-1 at 4.7 kW kg-1 with a retention rate of 71.3% for ACF@GR1-based supercapacitor.

  5. Activated Carbon Fibers with Hierarchical Nanostructure Derived from Waste Cotton Gloves as High-Performance Electrodes for Supercapacitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, Chao; Yu, Jianlin; Yang, Xiaoqing; Zhang, Guoqing

    2017-06-01

    One of the most challenging issues that restrict the biomass/waste-based nanocarbons in supercapacitor application is the poor structural inheritability during the activating process. Herein, we prepare a class of activated carbon fibers by carefully selecting waste cotton glove (CG) as the precursor, which mainly consists of cellulose fibers that can be transformed to carbon along with good inheritability of their fiber morphology upon activation. As prepared, the CG-based activated carbon fiber (CGACF) demonstrates a surface area of 1435 m2 g-1 contributed by micropores of 1.3 nm and small mesopores of 2.7 nm, while the fiber morphology can be well inherited from the CG with 3D interconnected frameworks created on the fiber surface. This hierarchically porous structure and well-retained fiber-like skeleton can simultaneously minimize the diffusion/transfer resistance of the electrolyte and electron, respectively, and maximize the surface area utilization for charge accumulation. Consequently, CGACF presents a higher specific capacitance of 218 F g-1 and an excellent high-rate performance as compared to commercial activated carbon.

  6. Activated Carbon Fibers with Hierarchical Nanostructure Derived from Waste Cotton Gloves as High-Performance Electrodes for Supercapacitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, Chao; Yu, Jianlin; Yang, Xiaoqing; Zhang, Guoqing

    2017-12-01

    One of the most challenging issues that restrict the biomass/waste-based nanocarbons in supercapacitor application is the poor structural inheritability during the activating process. Herein, we prepare a class of activated carbon fibers by carefully selecting waste cotton glove (CG) as the precursor, which mainly consists of cellulose fibers that can be transformed to carbon along with good inheritability of their fiber morphology upon activation. As prepared, the CG-based activated carbon fiber (CGACF) demonstrates a surface area of 1435 m 2  g -1 contributed by micropores of 1.3 nm and small mesopores of 2.7 nm, while the fiber morphology can be well inherited from the CG with 3D interconnected frameworks created on the fiber surface. This hierarchically porous structure and well-retained fiber-like skeleton can simultaneously minimize the diffusion/transfer resistance of the electrolyte and electron, respectively, and maximize the surface area utilization for charge accumulation. Consequently, CGACF presents a higher specific capacitance of 218 F g -1 and an excellent high-rate performance as compared to commercial activated carbon.

  7. A novel activated carbon for supercapacitors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shen, Haijie [Key Laboratory of Environmentally Friendly Chemistry and Applications of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Xiangtan University, Hunan 411105 (China); Liu, Enhui, E-mail: liuenhui99@sina.com.cn [Key Laboratory of Environmentally Friendly Chemistry and Applications of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Xiangtan University, Hunan 411105 (China); Xiang, Xiaoxia; Huang, Zhengzheng; Tian, Yingying; Wu, Yuhu; Wu, Zhilian; Xie, Hui [Key Laboratory of Environmentally Friendly Chemistry and Applications of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Xiangtan University, Hunan 411105 (China)

    2012-03-15

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer A novel activated carbon was prepared from phenol-melamine-formaldehyde resin. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The carbon has large surface area with microporous, and high heteroatom content. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Heteroatom-containing functional groups can improve the pseudo-capacitance. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Physical and chemical properties lead to the good electrochemical properties. -- Abstract: A novel activated carbon has been prepared by simple carbonization and activation of phenol-melamine-formaldehyde resin which is synthesized by the condensation polymerization method. The morphology, thermal stability, surface area, elemental composition and surface chemical composition of samples have been investigated by scanning electron microscope, thermogravimetry and differential thermal analysis, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller measurement, elemental analysis and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, respectively. Electrochemical properties have been studied by cyclic voltammograms, galvanostatic charge/discharge, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements in 6 mol L{sup -1} potassium hydroxide. The activated carbon shows good capacitive behavior and the specific capacitance is up to 210 F g{sup -1}, which indicates that it may be a promising candidate for supercapacitors.

  8. Synthesis of nitrogen doped microporous carbons prepared by activation-free method and their high electrochemical performance

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Ki-Seok [Department of Chemistry, Inha University, Incheon 402-751 (Korea, Republic of); Park, Soo-Jin, E-mail: sjpark@inha.ac.kr [Department of Chemistry, Inha University, Incheon 402-751 (Korea, Republic of)

    2011-11-30

    Graphical abstract: This describes the increase of specific capacitance in hybrid electrodes as a function of melamine content. Display Omitted Highlights: > For N-enriched hybrid carbons, co-precursors, PVDF/melamine composites, were used. > Microporous carbons were formed by only carbonization without chemical activation. > The nitrogen content of microporous carbons was controlled by melamine content. > N-doped carbons showed higher specific capacitance compared to microporous carbons. > It was attributed to the easy electron transfer and pseudocapacitance. - Abstract: Nitrogen-doped microporous carbons (N-MCs) were prepared by the carbonization of the polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)/melamine mixture without chemical activation. The electrochemical performance of the N-MCs was investigated as a function of PVDF/melamine ratio. It was found that, without additional activation, the N-MCs had a high specific surface area (greater than 560 m{sup 2}/g) because of the micropore formation by the release of fluorine groups. In addition, although the specific surface area decreased, nitrogen groups were increased with increasing melamine content, leading to an enhanced electrochemical performance. Indeed, the N-MCs showed a better electrochemical performance than that of microporous carbons (MCs) prepared by PVDF alone, and the highest specific capacitance (310 F/g) was obtained at a current density of 0.5 A/g, as compared to a value of 248 F/g for MCs. These results indicate that the microporous features of N-MC lead to feasible ion transfer during charge/discharge duration and the presence of nitrogen groups as strong electron donor on the N-MC electrode in electrolyte could provide a pseudocapacitance by the redox reaction.

  9. Increase of porosity by combining semi-carbonization and KOH activation of formaldehyde resins to prepare high surface area carbons for supercapacitor applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heimböckel, Ruben; Kraas, Sebastian; Hoffmann, Frank; Fröba, Michael

    2018-01-01

    A series of porous carbon samples were prepared by combining a semi-carbonization process of acidic polymerized phenol-formaldehyde resins and a following chemical activation with KOH used in different ratios to increase specific surface area, micropore content and pore sizes of the carbons which is favourable for supercapacitor applications. Samples were characterized by nitrogen physisorption, powder X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The results show that the amount of KOH, combined with the semi-carbonization step had a remarkable effect on the specific surface area (up to SBET: 3595 m2 g-1 and SDFT: 2551 m2 g-1), pore volume (0.60-2.62 cm3 g-1) and pore sizes (up to 3.5 nm). The carbons were tested as electrode materials for electrochemical double layer capacitors (EDLC) in a two electrode setup with tetraethylammonium tetrafluoroborate in acetonitrile as electrolyte. The prepared carbon material with the largest surface area, pore volume and pore sizes exhibits a high specific capacitance of 145.1 F g-1 at a current density of 1 A g-1. With a high specific energy of 31 W h kg-1 at a power density of 33028 W kg-1 and a short time relaxation constant of 0.29 s, the carbon showed high power capability as an EDLC electrode material.

  10. Preparation of Highly Porous Binderless Active Carbon Monoliths from Waste Aspen Sawdust

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dawei Li

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Waste aspen sawdust was used as a precursor to prepare binderless active carbon monoliths (ACMs with high porosities. The ACMs were prepared by activation with H3PO4 at different activation temperatures (500 to 700 °C and retention times (1 to 3 h. Their morphologies, yields, textural properties, and microcrystalline structures were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM, an analytical balance, N2 adsorption/desorption techniques, and X-ray diffraction (XRD. The results indicated that waste aspen sawdust could be successfully converted into highly porous binderless ACMs. The apparent specific surface area (SSA and yield of ACMs were in the range of 688 to 951 m2/g and 26.6 to 36.2%, respectively. Highly microporous ACMs with a micropore percentage of 91.1%, apparent specific surface area of 951 m2/g, pore volume of 0.481 mL/g, and bulk density of 0.56 g/mL could be produced by activation at 700 °C for 1 h. Increasing the activation temperature or retention time increased the specific surface area, pore volume, and turbostratic degree, but decreased the yield.

  11. The physical nature and manufacture of activated carbon

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    McDougall, G.J. (NCP, Bedfordview (South Africa))

    1991-04-01

    After defining activated carbon, the author describes its structure and outlines the physical characteristics distinguishing one type of activated carbon from another. The adsorptive properties of these carbons, the raw materials used, and the manufacturing processes - chemical activation, and physical or thermal activation - are eoutlined. The high-temperature thermal route (which is the most important for the products employed in gold recovery) using coconut shells or coals as the raw material is then discussed in some detail. 20 refs., 11 figs., 2 tabs.

  12. DEVELOPMENT OF ACTIVATED CARBONS FROM COAL COMBUSTION BY-PRODUCTS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Harold H. Schobert; M. Mercedes Maroto-Valer; Zhe Lu

    2003-09-30

    inferred from their physical and chemical properties. The developed porosity of the activated carbon was a function of the oxygen content, porosity and H/C ratio of the parent unburned carbon feedstock. It was observed that extended activation times and high activation temperatures increased the porosity of the produced activated carbon at the expense of the solid yield. The development of activated carbon from unburned carbon in fly ash has been proven to be a success by this study in terms of the higher surface areas of the resultant activated carbons, which are comparable with commercial activated carbons. However, unburned carbon samples obtained from coal-fired power plants as by-product have high ash content, which is unwanted for the production of activated carbons. Therefore, the separation of unburned carbon from the fly ash is expected to be beneficial for the utilization of unburned carbon to produce activated carbons with low ash content.

  13. Activated carbons and gold

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McDougall, G.J.; Hancock, R.D.

    1980-01-01

    The literature on activated carbon is reviewed so as to provide a general background with respect to the effect of source material and activation procedure on carbon properties, the structure and chemical nature of the surface of the activated carbon, and the nature of absorption processes on carbon. The various theories on the absorption of gold and silver from cyanide solutions are then reviewed, followed by a discussion of processes for the recovery of gold and silver from cyanide solutions using activated carbon, including a comparison with zinc precipitation

  14. Development of activated carbon pore structure via physical and chemical activation of biomass fibre waste

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Williams, Paul T.; Reed, Anton R.

    2006-01-01

    Biomass waste in the form of biomass flax fibre, produced as a by-product of the textile industry was processed via both physical and chemical activation to produce activated carbons. The surface area of the physically activated carbons were up to 840 m 2 g -1 and the carbons were of mesoporous structure. Chemical activation using zinc chloride produced high surface area activated carbons up to 2400 m 2 g -1 and the pore size distribution was mainly microporous. However, the process conditions of temperature and zinc chloride concentration could be used to manipulate the surface area and porosity of the carbons to produce microporous, mesoporous and mixed microporous/mesoporous activated carbons. The physically activated carbons were found to be a mixture of Type I and Type IV carbons and the chemically activated carbons were found to be mainly Type I carbons. The development of surface morphology of physically and chemically activated carbons observed via scanning electron microscopy showed that physical activation produced activated carbons with a nodular and pitted surface morphology whereas activated carbons produced through chemical activation had a smooth surface morphology. Transmission electron microscopy analysis could identify mesopore structures in the physically activated carbon and microporous structures in the chemically activated carbons

  15. Synthesis and characterization of carbon nanotube from coconut shells activated carbon

    Science.gov (United States)

    Melati, A.; Hidayati, E.

    2016-03-01

    Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been explored in almost every single cancer treatment modality, including drug delivery, lymphatic targeted chemotherapy, photodynamic therapy, and gene therapy. They are considered as one of the most promising nanomaterial with the capability of both detecting the cancerous cells and delivering drugs or small therapeutic molecules to the cells. CNTs have unique physical and chemical properties such as high aspect ratio, ultralight weight, high mechanical strength, high electrical conductivity, and high thermal conductivity. Coconut Shell was researched as active carbon source on 500 - 600°C. These activated carbon was synthesized becomes carbon nanotube and have been proposed as a promising tool for detecting the expression of indicative biological molecules at early stage of cancer. Clinically, biomarkers cancer can be detected by CNT Biosensor. We are using pyrolysis methods combined with CVD process or Wet Chemical Process on 600°C. Our team has successfully obtained high purity, and aligned MWCNT (Multi Wall Nanotube) bundles on synthesis CNT based on coconut shells raw materials. CNTs can be used to cross the mammalian cell membrane by endocytosis or other mechanisms. SEM characterization of these materials have 179 nm bundles on phase 83° and their materials compound known by using FTIR characterization.

  16. Synthesis of carbonate esters by carboxymethylation using NaAlO2 as a highly active heterogeneous catalyst

    OpenAIRE

    Ramesh, Sreerangappa; Indukuri, Kiran; Riant, Olivier; Debecker, Damien

    2018-01-01

    Sodium aluminate is presented as a highly active heterogeneous catalyst able to convert a range of alcohols into the corresponding mixed carbonate esters, in high yield and under green conditions. The reaction is carried out using dimethyl carbonate both as a reactant and solvent, at 90°C. Allylic, aliphatic and aromatic alcohols are converted in good yields. The solid catalyst is shown to be truly heterogeneous, resistant to leaching, and recyclable.

  17. Phenol adsorption by activated carbon produced from spent coffee grounds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Castro, Cínthia S; Abreu, Anelise L; Silva, Carmen L T; Guerreiro, Mário C

    2011-01-01

    The present work highlights the preparation of activated carbons (ACs) using spent coffee grounds, an agricultural residue, as carbon precursor and two different activating agents: water vapor (ACW) and K(2)CO(3) (ACK). These ACs presented the microporous nature and high surface area (620-950 m(2) g(-1)). The carbons, as well as a commercial activated carbon (CAC) used as reference, were evaluated as phenol adsorbent showing high adsorption capacity (≈150 mg g(-1)). The investigation of the pH solution in the phenol adsorption was also performed. The different activating agents led to AC with distinct morphological properties, surface area and chemical composition, although similar phenol adsorption capacity was verified for both prepared carbons. The production of activated carbons from spent coffee grounds resulted in promising adsorbents for phenol removal while giving a noble destination to the residue.

  18. Self-supporting activated carbon/carbon nanotube/reduced graphene oxide flexible electrode for high performance supercapacitor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Li, Xing; Tang, Yao; Song, Junhua; Yang, Wei; Wang, Mingshan; Zhu, Chengzhou; Zhao, Wengao; Zheng, Jianming; Lin, Yuehe

    2018-04-30

    A self-supporting and flexible activated carbon/carbon nanotube/reduced graphene oxide (AC/CNT/RGO) film has been rationally designed for constructing high- performance supercapacitor. The AC/CNT/RGO film is prepared by anchoring the AC particles with a 3D and porous framework built by hierarchically weaving the 1 D CNT and 2D RGO using their intrinsic van der Waals force. The CNT network is beneficial for improving the electronic conductivity of the electrode, while the AC particles could effectively suppress the aggregation of RGO and CNT due to their blocking effect. The synergistic effects among the AC, CNT and RGO validate the AC/CNT/RGO as a promising electrode for supercapacitor, exhibiting greatly enhanced electrochemical performances in comparison with the pure RGO film, pure CNT film and AC electrode. The AC/CNT/RGO electrode delivers a high specific capacitance of 101 F g-1 at the current density of 0.2 A g-1, offering a maximum energy density of 30.0 W h kg-1 in organic electrolyte at the cut-off voltage range of 0.001~3.0 V. The findings of this work open a new avenue for the design of self-supporting electrodes for the development of flexible and light weight energy storage supercapacitor.

  19. Carbon activity meter

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Roy, P.; Krankota, J.L.

    1975-01-01

    A carbon activity meter utilizing an electrochemical carbon cell with gaseous reference electrodes having particular application for measuring carbon activity in liquid sodium for the LMFBR project is described. The electrolyte container is electroplated with a thin gold film on the inside surface thereof, and a reference electrode consisting of CO/CO 2 gas is used. (U.S.)

  20. Activated, coal-based carbon foam

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rogers, Darren Kenneth; Plucinski, Janusz Wladyslaw

    2004-12-21

    An ablation resistant, monolithic, activated, carbon foam produced by the activation of a coal-based carbon foam through the action of carbon dioxide, ozone or some similar oxidative agent that pits and/or partially oxidizes the carbon foam skeleton, thereby significantly increasing its overall surface area and concurrently increasing its filtering ability. Such activated carbon foams are suitable for application in virtually all areas where particulate or gel form activated carbon materials have been used. Such an activated carbon foam can be fabricated, i.e. sawed, machined and otherwise shaped to fit virtually any required filtering location by simple insertion and without the need for handling the "dirty" and friable particulate activated carbon foam materials of the prior art.

  1. Production of activated carbons from almond shell

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nabais, Joao M. Valente; Laginhas, Carlos Eduardo C.; Carrott, P.J.M.; Ribeiro Carrott, M.M.L. [Evora Univ. (Portugal). Centro de Quimica de Evora

    2011-02-15

    The production of activated carbons from almond shell, using physical activation by CO{sub 2} is reported in this work. The used method has produced activated carbons with apparent BET surface areas and micropore volume as high as 1138 m{sup 2} g{sup -1} and 0.49 cm{sup 3} g{sup -1}, respectively. The activated carbons produced have essentially primary micropores and only a small volume of wider micropores. By FTIR analysis it was possible to identify, in the surface of the activated carbons, several functional groups, namely hydroxyls (free and phenol), ethers, esters, lactones, pyrones and Si-H bonds. By the analysis of the XRD patterns it was possible to calculate the microcrystallites dimensions with height between 1.178 and 1.881 nm and width between 3.106 and 5.917 nm. From the XRD it was also possible to identify the presence of traces of inorganic heteroatoms such as Si, Pb, K, Fe and P. All activated carbons showed basic characteristics with point of zero charge between 9.42 and 10.43. (author)

  2. Synthesis of nitrogen doped microporous carbons prepared by activation-free method and their high electrochemical performance

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Ki-Seok; Park, Soo-Jin

    2011-01-01

    Graphical abstract: This describes the increase of specific capacitance in hybrid electrodes as a function of melamine content. Display Omitted Highlights: → For N-enriched hybrid carbons, co-precursors, PVDF/melamine composites, were used. → Microporous carbons were formed by only carbonization without chemical activation. → The nitrogen content of microporous carbons was controlled by melamine content. → N-doped carbons showed higher specific capacitance compared to microporous carbons. → It was attributed to the easy electron transfer and pseudocapacitance. - Abstract: Nitrogen-doped microporous carbons (N-MCs) were prepared by the carbonization of the polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)/melamine mixture without chemical activation. The electrochemical performance of the N-MCs was investigated as a function of PVDF/melamine ratio. It was found that, without additional activation, the N-MCs had a high specific surface area (greater than 560 m 2 /g) because of the micropore formation by the release of fluorine groups. In addition, although the specific surface area decreased, nitrogen groups were increased with increasing melamine content, leading to an enhanced electrochemical performance. Indeed, the N-MCs showed a better electrochemical performance than that of microporous carbons (MCs) prepared by PVDF alone, and the highest specific capacitance (310 F/g) was obtained at a current density of 0.5 A/g, as compared to a value of 248 F/g for MCs. These results indicate that the microporous features of N-MC lead to feasible ion transfer during charge/discharge duration and the presence of nitrogen groups as strong electron donor on the N-MC electrode in electrolyte could provide a pseudocapacitance by the redox reaction.

  3. Using microwave heating to improve the desorption efficiency of high molecular weight VOC from beaded activated carbon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fayaz, Mohammadreza; Shariaty, Pooya; Atkinson, John D; Hashisho, Zaher; Phillips, John H; Anderson, James E; Nichols, Mark

    2015-04-07

    Incomplete regeneration of activated carbon loaded with organic compounds results in heel build-up that reduces the useful life of the adsorbent. In this study, microwave heating was tested as a regeneration method for beaded activated carbon (BAC) loaded with n-dodecane, a high molecular weight volatile organic compound. Energy consumption and desorption efficiency for microwave-heating regeneration were compared with conductive-heating regeneration. The minimum energy needed to completely regenerate the adsorbent (100% desorption efficiency) using microwave regeneration was 6% of that needed with conductive heating regeneration, owing to more rapid heating rates and lower heat loss. Analyses of adsorbent pore size distribution and surface chemistry confirmed that neither heating method altered the physical/chemical properties of the BAC. Additionally, gas chromatography (with flame ionization detector) confirmed that neither regeneration method detectably altered the adsorbate composition during desorption. By demonstrating improvements in energy consumption and desorption efficiency and showing stable adsorbate and adsorbent properties, this paper suggests that microwave heating is an attractive method for activated carbon regeneration particularly when high-affinity VOC adsorbates are present.

  4. Cobalt-embedded carbon nanofiber derived from a coordination polymer as a highly efficient heterogeneous catalyst for activating oxone in water.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Kun-Yi Andrew; Tong, Wai-Chi; Du, Yunchen

    2018-03-01

    Carbon fiber (CF) supported cobalt nanoparticles (NPs) are promising catalysts for activating Oxone because carbon is non-metal and earth-abundant, and CF-based catalysts exhibit a high aspect ratio, which affords more accessible and dense catalytic sites. Nevertheless, most of CF-supported catalysts are fabricated by post-synthetic methods, which involve complicated preparations. More importantly, metallic NPs are attached to the outer surface of CF rather than embedded within CF. However, there is still a great demand for developing Co-bearing carbon fibers for Oxone activation via simple and effective methods. Thus, this study proposes to develop a cobalt NP-embedded carbon nanofiber (CCNF) by a simple hydrothermal reaction of Co and nitrilotriacetic acid (NA), followed by one-step carbonization. Owing to the coordinative structure of CoNA, the derivative CCNF exhibits a fibrous carbon matrix embedded with evenly distributed and densely packed Co 3 O 4 and magnetic Co 0 nanoparticles. The fibrous structure, magnetism and embedded Co NPs enable CCNF to be a promising catalyst for Oxone activation. As degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) is selected as a model reaction, CCNF not only rapidly activates Oxone to fully degrade RhB but also shows a much higher catalytic activity than the most common Oxone activator, Co 3 O 4 . CCNF also exhibits the lowest activation energy than any reported catalysts for Oxone activation to degrade RhB. In addition, CCNF could be re-used to activate Oxone for RhB degradation. These results indicate that CCNF is a conveniently prepared and highly effective fibrous Co/C hybrid material for activating Oxone to oxidize contaminants in water. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  5. Adsorption uptake of synthetic organic chemicals by carbon nanotubes and activated carbons

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brooks, A. J.; Lim, Hyung-nam; Kilduff, James E.

    2012-07-01

    Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have shown great promise as high performance materials for adsorbing priority pollutants from water and wastewater. This study compared uptake of two contaminants of interest in drinking water treatment (atrazine and trichloroethylene) by nine different types of carbonaceous adsorbents: three different types of single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs), three different sized multi-walled nanotubes (MWNTs), two granular activated carbons (GACs) and a powdered activated carbon (PAC). On a mass basis, the activated carbons exhibited the highest uptake, followed by SWNTs and MWNTs. However, metallic impurities in SWNTs and multiple walls in MWNTs contribute to adsorbent mass but do not contribute commensurate adsorption sites. Therefore, when uptake was normalized by purity (carbon content) and surface area (instead of mass), the isotherms collapsed and much of the CNT data was comparable to the activated carbons, indicating that these two characteristics drive much of the observed differences between activated carbons and CNT materials. For the limited data set here, the Raman D:G ratio as a measure of disordered non-nanotube graphitic components was not a good predictor of adsorption from solution. Uptake of atrazine by MWNTs having a range of lengths and diameters was comparable and their Freundlich isotherms were statistically similar, and we found no impact of solution pH on the adsorption of either atrazine or trichloroethylene in the range of naturally occurring surface water (pH = 5.7-8.3). Experiments were performed using a suite of model aromatic compounds having a range of π-electron energy to investigate the role of π-π electron donor-acceptor interactions on organic compound uptake by SWNTs. For the compounds studied, hydrophobic interactions were the dominant mechanism in the uptake by both SWNTs and activated carbon. However, comparing the uptake of naphthalene and phenanthrene by activated carbon and SWNTs, size exclusion effects

  6. Adsorption uptake of synthetic organic chemicals by carbon nanotubes and activated carbons

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brooks, A J; Kilduff, James E; Lim, Hyung-nam

    2012-01-01

    Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have shown great promise as high performance materials for adsorbing priority pollutants from water and wastewater. This study compared uptake of two contaminants of interest in drinking water treatment (atrazine and trichloroethylene) by nine different types of carbonaceous adsorbents: three different types of single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs), three different sized multi-walled nanotubes (MWNTs), two granular activated carbons (GACs) and a powdered activated carbon (PAC). On a mass basis, the activated carbons exhibited the highest uptake, followed by SWNTs and MWNTs. However, metallic impurities in SWNTs and multiple walls in MWNTs contribute to adsorbent mass but do not contribute commensurate adsorption sites. Therefore, when uptake was normalized by purity (carbon content) and surface area (instead of mass), the isotherms collapsed and much of the CNT data was comparable to the activated carbons, indicating that these two characteristics drive much of the observed differences between activated carbons and CNT materials. For the limited data set here, the Raman D:G ratio as a measure of disordered non-nanotube graphitic components was not a good predictor of adsorption from solution. Uptake of atrazine by MWNTs having a range of lengths and diameters was comparable and their Freundlich isotherms were statistically similar, and we found no impact of solution pH on the adsorption of either atrazine or trichloroethylene in the range of naturally occurring surface water (pH = 5.7–8.3). Experiments were performed using a suite of model aromatic compounds having a range of π-electron energy to investigate the role of π–π electron donor–acceptor interactions on organic compound uptake by SWNTs. For the compounds studied, hydrophobic interactions were the dominant mechanism in the uptake by both SWNTs and activated carbon. However, comparing the uptake of naphthalene and phenanthrene by activated carbon and SWNTs, size exclusion

  7. Activated carbon material

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Evans, A.G.

    1978-01-01

    Activated carbon particles for use as iodine trapping material are impregnated with a mixture of selected iodine and potassium compounds to improve the iodine retention properties of the carbon. The I/K ratio is maintained at less than about 1 and the pH is maintained at above about 8.0. The iodine retention of activated carbon previously treated with or coimpregnated with triethylenediamine can also be improved by this technique. Suitable flame retardants can be added to raise the ignition temperature of the carbon to acceptable standards

  8. Production of high quality adsorbent charcoal from Phil. Wood II. Granulated activated carbon

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Arida, V.P.; Atienza, O.G.; Quilao, T.A.; Caballero, A.R.; Laxamana, J.S.; Pugal, D.L.; Guce, C.P.

    1992-01-01

    Two Philippine wood species out of twelve earlier studied in part I namely ''ipil-ipil'' Leucaena leucocephala (Lann) de Wit and coconut coir dust were selected for the production of good quality granulated activated carbon. Fluidization method was used in the study. The conditions for the granulation of the carbonized chars using molasses were established. An optimum ratio of 1:0.5 and 1:0.8 (char:binder) was used in the granulation process for ''ipil-ipil'' and coir dust, respectively. Carbonization was done at gradually increasing temperature of 3 0 C/min at 600 0 C. Carbonized granules with particle sizes ranging from 0.5-2.0 mm were used for the activation study. The produced granules were activated in an external heat type stainless steel reactor as mentioned in Part I using steam as activating agent. The physical properties and adsorptive capacity of the activated granular products obtained at varying activation were determined and correlated. Methylene blue adsorption and internal surface area obtained at varying conditions were determined and correlated. Maximum values obtained for methylene blue adsorption and internal surface area are 290 mg/g AC and 1,200m 2 /g AC at 900 0 C, respectively for ''ipil-ipil'' and 390 mg/g AC and 1,000m 2 g AC at 850 0 C respectively for coir dust. Gas adsorption tests done using benzene acetone and carbon tetrachloride for both ''ipil-ipil'' and coir dust activated granular char products showed that both exhibited maximum absorbability at 900 0 C. Results of the study have shown that good quality granulated activated carbon can be produced from ''ipil-ipil'' and coir dust which find suitable applications in various adsorption processes such as organic solvent adsorption, gas adsorption, water purification, oil and sugar refining, among others. (auth.). 3 refs.; 4 tabs.; 14 figs

  9. Activated Carbon Textile via Chemistry of Metal Extraction for Supercapacitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lam, Do Van; Jo, Kyungmin; Kim, Chang-Hyun; Kim, Jae-Hyun; Lee, Hak-Joo; Lee, Seung-Mo

    2016-12-27

    Carbothermic reduction in the chemistry of metal extraction (MO(s) + C(s) → M(s) + CO(g)) using carbon as a sacrificial agent has been used to smelt metals from diverse oxide ores since ancient times. Here, we paid attention to another aspect of the carbothermic reduction to prepare an activated carbon textile for high-rate-performance supercapacitors. On the basis of thermodynamic reducibility of metal oxides reported by Ellingham, we employed not carbon, but metal oxide as a sacrificial agent in order to prepare an activated carbon textile. We conformally coated ZnO on a bare cotton textile using atomic layer deposition, followed by pyrolysis at high temperature (C(s) + ZnO(s) → C'(s) + Zn(g) + CO(g)). We figured out that it leads to concurrent carbonization and activation in a chemical as well as mechanical way. Particularly, the combined effects of mechanical buckling and fracture that occurred between ZnO and cotton turned out to play an important role in carbonizing and activating the cotton textile, thereby significantly increasing surface area (nearly 10 times) compared with the cotton textile prepared without ZnO. The carbon textiles prepared by carbothermic reduction showed impressive combination properties of high power and energy densities (over 20-fold increase) together with high cyclic stability.

  10. Effect of combined activation on the preparation of high porous active carbons from granulated post-consumer polyethyleneterephthalate

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sych, N.V.; Kartel, N.T.; Tsyba, N.N.; Strelko, V.V.

    2006-01-01

    Activated carbons were prepared from granulated post-consumer PET by combined activation including heat treatment with sulphuric acid (chemical activation) followed by steam activation. The effect of activation time, temperature, impregnation coefficient in the activation process was studied in order to optimize those reception parameters. One of the most important parameter in combined activation of crushed PET was found to be impregnation coefficient. It was defined that the optimal impregnation coefficient is equal 28%. Activation temperature is another variability which has a significant effect on the pore volume evolution. The increasing of activation temperature enhances the surface area and pore volumes of active carbons. The yield of final product which composes of nearly 15% is the factor limited the activation temperature above 800 deg. C. Textural characteristics of the samples were carried out by performing N 2 adsorption isotherm at -196 deg. C. The obtained active carbons were mainly micro- and mesoporous and with BET apparent surface areas of up to 1030 m 2 /g. The adsorption capacity on methylene blue reaches 1.0 mmol/g, the sorption activity on iodine comes to 77%

  11. High-strength porous carbon and its multifunctional applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wojtowicz, Marek A; Rubenstein, Eric P; Serio, Michael A; Cosgrove, Joseph E

    2013-12-31

    High-strength porous carbon and a method of its manufacture are described for multifunctional applications, such as ballistic protection, structural components, ultracapacitor electrodes, gas storage, and radiation shielding. The carbon is produced from a polymer precursor via carbonization, and optionally by surface activation and post-treatment.

  12. Selecting activated carbon for water and wastewater treatability studies

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhang, W.; Chang, Q.G.; Liu, W.D.; Li, B.J.; Jiang, W.X.; Fu, L.J.; Ying, W.C. [East China University of Chemical Technology, Shanghai (China)

    2007-10-15

    A series of follow-up investigations were performed to produce data for improving the four-indicator carbon selection method that we developed to identify high-potential activated carbons effective for removing specific organic water pollutants. The carbon's pore structure and surface chemistry are dependent on the raw material and the activation process. Coconut carbons have relatively more small pores than large pores; coal and apricot nutshell/walnut shell fruit carbons have the desirable pore structures for removing adsorbates of all sizes. Chemical activation, excessive activation, and/or thermal reactivation enlarge small pores, resulting in reduced phenol number and higher tannic acid number. Activated carbon's phenol, iodine, methylene blue, and tannic acid numbers are convenient indicators of its surface area and pore volume of pore diameters < 10, 10-15, 15-28, and > 28 angstrom, respectively. The phenol number of a carbon is also a good indicator of its surface acidity of oxygen-containing organic functional groups that affect the adsorptive capacity for aromatic and other small polar organics. The tannic acid number is an indicator of carbon's capacity for large, high-molecular-weight natural organic precursors of disinfection by-products in water treatment. The experimental results for removing nitrobenzene, methyl-tert-butyl ether, 4,4-bisphenol, humic acid, and the organic constituents of a biologically treated coking-plant effluent have demonstrated the effectiveness of this capacity-indicator-based method of carbon selection.

  13. Highly Active, Carbon-supported, PdSn Nano-core, Partially ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Carbon-supported, Pt partially covered, PdSn alloy nanoparticles (Pt-PdSn/C) were synthesized via a metathetical reaction of PdSn alloy nanoparticles, and a platinum precursor. The electrochemical activity was evaluated by methanol oxidation. The Pt-PdSn/C catalysts were characterized by transmission electron ...

  14. Quality of poultry litter-derived granular activated carbon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qiu, Guannan; Guo, Mingxin

    2010-01-01

    Utilization of poultry litter as a source material for generating activated carbon is a value-added and environmentally beneficial approach to recycling organic waste. In this study, the overall quality of poultry litter-derived granular activated carbon was systematically evaluated based on its various physical and chemical properties. Granular activated carbon generated from pelletized poultry litter following a typical steam-activation procedure possessed numerous micropores in the matrix. The product exhibited a mean particle diameter of 2.59 mm, an apparent density of 0.45 g cm(-3), a ball-pan hardness of 91.0, an iodine number of 454 mg g(-1), and a BET surface area of 403 m(2) g(-1). It contained high ash, nitrogen, phosphorus contents and the trace elements Cu, Zn, and As. Most of the nutrients and toxic elements were solidified and solution-unextractable. In general, poultry litter-based activated carbon demonstrated overall quality comparable to that of low-grade commercial activated carbon derived from coconut shell and bituminous coal. It is promising to use poultry litter as a feedstock to manufacture activated carbon for wastewater treatment.

  15. Adsorption of phenol by activated carbon: Influence of activation methods and solution pH

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Beker, Ulker; Ganbold, Batchimeg; Dertli, Halil; Guelbayir, Dilek Duranoglu

    2010-01-01

    Cherry stone based activated carbon derived from a canning industry was evaluated for its ability to remove phenol from an aqueous solution in a batch process. A comparative adsorption on the uptake of phenol by using commercial activated carbon (Chemviron CPG-LF), and two non-functional commercial polymeric adsorbents (MN-200 and XAD-2) containing a styrene-divinylbenzene macroporous hyperreticulated network have been also examined. Equilibrium studies were conducted in 25 mg L -1 initial phenol concentrations, 6.5-9 solution pH and at temperature of 30 deg. C. The experimental data were analyzed by the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models. Besides, the cherry stone based activated carbons were carried out by using zinc chloride and KOH activation agents at different chemical ratios (activating agent/precursor), to develop carbons with well-developed porosity. The cherry stone activated carbon prepared using KOH as a chemical agent showed a high surface area. According to the results, activated carbons had excellent adsorptive characteristics in comparison with polymeric sorbents and commercial activated carbon for the phenol removal from the aqueous solutions.

  16. Reuse performance of granular-activated carbon and activated carbon fiber in catalyzed peroxymonosulfate oxidation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Shiying; Li, Lei; Xiao, Tuo; Zhang, Jun; Shao, Xueting

    2017-03-01

    Recently, activated carbon was investigated as an efficient heterogeneous metal-free catalyst to directly activate peroxymonosulfate (PMS) for degradation of organic compounds. In this paper, the reuse performance and the possible deactivation reasons of granular-activated carbon (GAC) and activated carbon fiber (ACF) in PMS activation were investigated. As results indicated, the reusability of GAC, especially in the presence of high PMS dosage, was relatively superior to ACF in catalyzed PMS oxidation of Acid Orange 7 (AO7), which is much more easily adsorbed by ACF than by GAC. Pre-oxidation experiments were studied and it was demonstrated that PMS oxidation on ACF would retard ACF's deactivation to a big extent. After pre-adsorption with AO7, the catalytic ability of both GAC and ACF evidently diminished. However, when methanol was employed to extract the AO7-spent ACF, the catalytic ability could recover quite a bit. GAC and ACF could also effectively catalyze PMS to degrade Reactive Black 5 (RB5), which is very difficult to be adsorbed even by ACF, but both GAC and ACF have poor reuse performance for RB5 degradation. The original organic compounds or intermediate products adsorbed by GAC or ACF would be possibly responsible for the deactivation.

  17. Self-activation of cellulose: A new preparation methodology for activated carbon electrodes in electrochemical capacitors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bommier, Clement; Xu, Rui; Wang, Wei; Wang, Xingfeng; Wen, David; Lu, Jun; Ji, Xiulei

    2015-04-01

    Current synthetic methods of biomass-derived activated carbon call for a costly chemical or physical activation process. Herein, we report a simple one-step annealing synthesis yielding a high surface area cellulose-derived activated carbon. We discover that simply varying the flow rate of Argon during pyrolysis enables ‘self-activation’ reactions that can tune the specific surface areas of the resulting carbon, ranging from 98 m2/g to values as high as 2600 m2/g. Furthermore, we, for the first time, observe a direct evolution of H2 from the pyrolysis, which gives strong evidence towards an in situ self-activation mechanism. Surprisingly, the obtained activated carbon is a crumbled graphene nanostructure composed of interconnected sheets, making it ideal for use in an electrochemical capacitor. The cellulose-derived nanoporous carbon exhibits a capacitance of 132 F g-1 at 1 A g-1, a performance comparable to the state-of-the-art activated carbons. This work presents a fundamentally new angle to look at the synthesis of activated carbon, and highlights the importance of a controlled inert gas flow rate during synthesis in general, as its contributions can have a very large impact on the final material properties.

  18. Nitrogen doped activated carbon from pea skin for high performance supercapacitor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahmed, Sultan; Ahmed, Ahsan; Rafat, M.

    2018-04-01

    In this work, nitrogen doped porous carbon (NDC) has been synthesized employing a facile two-step process. Firstly, carbon precursor (pea skin) was heated with melamine (acting as nitrogen source) followed by activation with KOH in different ratios. The dependence of porosity and nitrogen content on impregnation ratio was extensively studied. Other textural properties of prepared NDC sample were studied using standard techniques of material characterization. The electrochemical performance of NDC sample as an electrode was studied in two-electrode symmetric supercapacitor system. 1 M LiTFSI (lithium bis-trifluoromethanesulfonimide) solution in IL EMITFSI (1-Ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide), was used as electrolyte. It was found that the fabricated supercapacitor cell offers high values of specific capacitance (141.1 F g‑1), specific energy (19.6 Wh kg‑1) and specific power (25.4 kW kg‑1) at current density of 1.3 A g‑1. More importantly, the fabricated supercapacitor cell shows capacitance retention of ∼75%, for more than 5000 cycles. The enhanced performance of NDC sample is primarily due to large surface area with favorable surface structure (contributing to double layer capacitance) and presence of nitrogen functionalities (contributing to pseudo-capacitance). Such important features make the synthesized NDC sample, an attractive choice for electrode material in high performance supercapacitor.

  19. Porous carbon with a large surface area and an ultrahigh carbon purity via templating carbonization coupling with KOH activation as excellent supercapacitor electrode materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sun, Fei; Gao, Jihui; Liu, Xin; Pi, Xinxin; Yang, Yuqi; Wu, Shaohua

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • Simple templating carbonization method was developed to obtain porous carbons. • Surface etching by KOH activation greatly boosts surface area and carbon purity. • The as-obtained porous carbon delivers a high capacitance of 275 F g −1 . • Symmetric supercapacitor can achieved high energy density and power density. - Abstract: Large surface area and good structural stability, for porous carbons, are two crucial requirements to enable the constructed supercapacitors with high capacitance and long cycling lifespan. Herein, we successfully prepare porous carbon with a large surface area (3175 m 2 g −1 ) and an ultrahigh carbon purity (carbon atom ratio of 98.25%) via templating carbonization coupling with KOH activation. As-synthesized MTC-KOH exhibits excellent performances as supercapacitor electrode materials in terms of high specific capacitance and ultrahigh cycling stability. In a three electrode system, MTC-KOH delivers a high capacitance of 275 F g −1 at 0.5 A g −1 and still 120 F g −1 at a high rate of 30 A g −1 . There is almost no capacitance decay even after 10,000 cycles, demonstrating outstanding cycling stability. In comparison, pre-activated MTC with a hierarchical pore structure shows a better rate capability than microporous MTC-KOH. Moreover, the constructed symmetric supercapacitor using MTC-KOH can achieve high energy densities of 8.68 Wh kg −1 and 4.03 Wh kg −1 with the corresponding power densities of 108 W kg −1 and 6.49 kW kg −1 , respectively. Our work provides a simple design strategy to prepare highly porous carbons with high carbon purity for supercapacitors application.

  20. The Adsorption Mechanism of Modified Activated Carbon on Phenol

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lin J. Q.

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Modified activated carbon was prepared by thermal treatment at high temperature under nitrogen flow. The surface properties of the activated carbon were characterized by Boehm titration, BET and point of zero charge determination. The adsorption mechanism of phenol on modified activated carbon was explained and the adsorption capacity of modified activated carbon for phenol when compared to plain activated carbon was evaluated through the analysis of adsorption isotherms, thermodynamic and kinetic properties. Results shows that after modification the surface alkaline property and pHpzc value of the activated carbon increase and the surface oxygen-containing functional groups decrease. The adsorption processes of the plain and modified carbon fit with Langmuir isotherm equation well, and the maximum adsorption capacity increase from 123.46, 111.11, 103.09mg/g to 192.31, 178.57, 163,93mg/g under 15, 25 and 35°C after modification, respectively. Thermodynamic parameters show that the adsorption of phenol on activated carbon is a spontaneously exothermic process of entropy reduction, implying that the adsorption is a physical adsorption. The adsorption of phenol on activated carbon follows the pseudo-second-order kinetics (R2>0.99. The optimum pH of adsorption is 6~8.

  1. [Adsorption and desorption of dyes by waste-polymer-derived activated carbons].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lian, Fei; Liu, Chang; Li, Guo-Guang; Liu, Yi-Fu; Li, Yong; Zhu, Ling-Yan

    2012-01-01

    Mesoporous activated carbons with high surface area were prepared from three waste polymers, i. e., tire rubber, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polyethyleneterephtalate (PET), by KOH activation. The adsorption/desorption characteristics of dyes (methylene blue and methyl orange) on the carbons were studied. The effects of pH, ionic strength and surface surfactants in the solution on the dye adsorption were also investigated. The results indicated that the carbons derived from PVC and PET exhibited high surface area of 2 666 and 2 831 m2 x g(-1). Their mesopore volume were as high as 1.06 and 1.30 cm3 g(-1), respectively. 98.5% and 97.0% of methylene blue and methyl orange were removed in 15 min by PVC carbon, and that of 99.5% and 95.0% for PET carbon. The Langmuir maximum adsorption capacity to these dyes was more than 2 mmol x g(-1), much higher than that of commercial activated carbon F400. Compared with Freundlich model, the adsorption data was fitted better by Langmiur model, indicating monolayer coverage on the carbons. The adsorption was highly dependent on solution pH, ionic strength and concentration of surface surfactants. The activated carbons exhibited higher adsorption to methylene blue than that of methyl orange, and it was very hard for both of the dyes to be desorbed. The observation in this study demonstrated that activated carbons derived from polymer waste could be effective adsorbents for the treatment of wastewater with dyes.

  2. Highly active carbon supported Pd cathode catalysts for direct formic acid fuel cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mikolajczuk-Zychora, A., E-mail: amikolajczuk@ichf.edu.pl [Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw (Poland); Borodzinski, A.; Kedzierzawski, P.; Mierzwa, B. [Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw (Poland); Mazurkiewicz-Pawlicka, M. [Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, Wołoska 141, 02-507 Warsaw (Poland); Faculty of Chemical and Process Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, Warynskiego 1, Warsaw (Poland); Stobinski, L. [Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw (Poland); Faculty of Chemical and Process Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, Warynskiego 1, Warsaw (Poland); Ciecierska, E. [Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, Wołoska 141, 02-507 Warsaw (Poland); Zimoch, A.; Opałło, M. [Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw (Poland)

    2016-12-01

    Highlights: • Palladium catalyst used on the cathode DFAFC is comparable to commercial platinum catalyst. • The treatment of carbon supports in nitric acid(V) increases the electrochemically available metal surface area and the catalytic activity in oxygen reduction reaction of catalysts. - Abstract: One of the drawbacks of low-temperature fuel cells is high price of platinum-based catalysts used for the electroreduction of oxygen at the cathode of the fuel cell. The aim of this work is to develop the palladium catalyst that will replace commonly used platinum cathode catalysts. A series of palladium catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) were prepared and tested on the cathode of Direct Formic Acid Fuel Cell (DFAFC). Palladium nanoparticles were deposited on the carbon black (Vulcan) and on multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) surface by reduction of palladium(II) acetate dissolved in ethanol. Hydrazine was used as a reducing agent. The effect of functionalization of the carbon supports on the catalysts physicochemical properties and the ORR catalytic activity on the cathode of DFAFC was studied. The supports were functionalized by treatment in nitric acid for 4 h at 80 °C. The structure of the prepared catalysts has been characterized by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscope (TEM) and cyclic voltammetry (CV). Hydrophilicity of the catalytic layers was determined by measuring contact angles of water droplets. The performance of the prepared catalysts has been compared with that of the commercial 20 wt.% Pt/C (Premetek) catalyst. The maximum power density obtained for the best palladium catalyst, deposited on the surface of functionalized carbon black, is the same as that for the commercial Pt/C (Premetek). Palladium is cheaper than platinum, therefore the developed cathode catalyst is promising for future applications.

  3. Bimodal activated carbons derived from resorcinol-formaldehyde cryogels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Szczurek, Andrzej; Amaral-Labat, Gisele; Fierro, Vanessa; Pizzi, Antonio; Celzard, Alain

    2011-01-01

    Resorcinol-formaldehyde cryogels prepared at different dilution ratios have been activated with phosphoric acid at 450 °C and compared with their carbonaceous counterparts obtained by pyrolysis at 900 °C. Whereas the latter were, as expected, highly mesoporous carbons, the former cryogels had very different pore textures. Highly diluted cryogels allowed preparation of microporous materials with high surface areas, but activation of initially dense cryogels led to almost non-porous carbons, with much lower surface areas than those obtained by pyrolysis. The optimal acid concentration for activation, corresponding to stoichiometry between molecules of acid and hydroxyl groups, was 2 M l−1, and the acid–cryogel contact time also had an optimal value. Such optimization allowed us to achieve surface areas and micropore volumes among the highest ever obtained by activation with H3PO4, close to 2200 m2 g−1 and 0.7 cm3 g−1, respectively. Activation of diluted cryogels with a lower acid concentration of 1.2 M l−1 led to authentic bimodal activated carbons, having a surface area as high as 1780 m2 g−1 and 0.6 cm3 g−1 of microporous volume easily accessible through a widely developed macroporosity. PMID:27877405

  4. Bimodal activated carbons derived from resorcinol-formaldehyde cryogels

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Szczurek, Andrzej; Amaral-Labat, Gisele; Fierro, Vanessa; Celzard, Alain [Institut Jean Lamour-UMR CNRS 7198, CNRS-Nancy-Universite-UPV-Metz, Departement Chimie et Physique des Solides et des Surfaces. ENSTIB, 27 rue Philippe Seguin, BP 1041, 88051 Epinal cedex 9 (France); Pizzi, Antonio, E-mail: Alain.Celzard@enstib.uhp-nancy.fr [ENSTIB-LERMAB, Nancy-Universite, 27 rue Philippe Seguin, BP1041, 88051 Epinal cedex 9 (France)

    2011-06-15

    Resorcinol-formaldehyde cryogels prepared at different dilution ratios have been activated with phosphoric acid at 450 deg. C and compared with their carbonaceous counterparts obtained by pyrolysis at 900 deg. C. Whereas the latter were, as expected, highly mesoporous carbons, the former cryogels had very different pore textures. Highly diluted cryogels allowed preparation of microporous materials with high surface areas, but activation of initially dense cryogels led to almost non-porous carbons, with much lower surface areas than those obtained by pyrolysis. The optimal acid concentration for activation, corresponding to stoichiometry between molecules of acid and hydroxyl groups, was 2 M l{sup -1}, and the acid-cryogel contact time also had an optimal value. Such optimization allowed us to achieve surface areas and micropore volumes among the highest ever obtained by activation with H{sub 3}PO{sub 4}, close to 2200 m{sup 2} g{sup -1} and 0.7 cm{sup 3} g{sup -1}, respectively. Activation of diluted cryogels with a lower acid concentration of 1.2 M l{sup -1} led to authentic bimodal activated carbons, having a surface area as high as 1780 m{sup 2} g{sup -1} and 0.6 cm{sup 3} g{sup -1} of microporous volume easily accessible through a widely developed macroporosity.

  5. The regeneration of polluted active carbon by radiation techniques

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bao Borong; Wu Minghong; Hu Longxin; Zhou Riumin; Zhu Jinliang

    1998-01-01

    In this paper, we investigated the regeneration of polluted active carbon from monosodium glutamate factory by combination of radiation and acid-alkali chemical techniques. The experimental results show that the polluted active carbon will be highly regenerated on the conditions of process concentration 3%, process time 0.5 hour and the adjustment process concentration 2%, time 0.5 hour, radiation dose 5kGy. As regeneration times increase, the regenerated active carbon behaves with good repetition and stable property

  6. Separation of Th from aqueous solutions using activated carbon

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kutahyali, C.; Eral, M.

    2005-01-01

    Since the last century, thorium has been extensively used in a variety of applications. These applications produce various gaseous, liquid and solid wastes containing isotopes of thorium. Liquid wastes are freed into the surface or the underground waters of mines. Solid and liquid wastes are also produced during nuclear fuel production. Direct toxicity of thorium is low due to its stability at ambient temperatures; however thorium fine powder is self-ignitable to thorium oxide. When thorium nitrate enters living organisms it is mainly localized in liver, spleen and marrow and it precipitates in a hydroxide form. Investigations concerning the removal or minimization of the thorium concentration in the waste waters are of considerable importance environmental point of view. Adsorption is an important technique in separation and purification processes. Among many types of adsorbent materials, activated carbons are the most widely used, because of their large adsorptive capacity and low cost. Activated carbons are unique adsorbents because of their extended surface area, microporous structure, high adsorption capacity and high degree of surface reactivity. Separation and purification processes based on adsorption technique are also important in nuclear industry where activated carbon is often used for the separation of metal ions from solutions, due to its selective adsorption, high radiation stability and high purity. The activated carbons used in this study were prepared by the chemical activation of acrylic fiber. The chemical composition of acrylic fiber is a copolymer of acrylonitrile-vinyl acetate is called also poliacrylonitryl fiber. The effects of carbonization conditions resulting activated carbon were examined. Precursor/activating agent (KOH and ZnCl 2 ) ratio and carbonization temperature were investigated for the preparation of adsorbent. Adsorption experiments were carried out by a batch technique. The adsorption of thorium was studied as a function of

  7. In vitro adsorption study of fluoxetine in activated carbons and activated carbon fibres

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nabais, J.M. Valente; Mouquinho, A.; Galacho, C.; Carrott, P.J.M.; Ribeiro Carrott, M.M.L. [Centro de Quimica de Evora e Departamento de Quimica da Universidade de Evora, Rua Romao Ramalho no. 59, 7000-671 Evora (Portugal)

    2008-05-15

    We study the in vitro adsorption of fluoxetine hydrochloride by different adsorbents in simulated gastric and intestinal fluid, pH 1.2 and 7.5, respectively. The tested materials were two commercial activated carbons, carbomix and maxsorb MSC30, one activated carbon fibre produced in our laboratory and also three MCM-41 samples, also produced by us. Selected samples were modified by liquid phase oxidation and thermal treatment in order to change the surface chemistry without significant modifications to the porous characteristics. The fluoxetine adsorption follows the Langmuir model. The calculated Q{sub 0} values range from 54 to 1112 mg/g. A different adsorption mechanism was found for the adsorption of fluoxetine in activated carbon fibres and activated carbons. In the first case the most relevant factors are the molecular sieving effect and the dispersive interactions whereas in the activated carbons the mechanism seams to be based on the electrostatic interactions between the fluoxetine molecules and the charged carbon surface. Despite the different behaviours most of the materials tested have potential for treating potential fluoxetine intoxications. (author)

  8. Porous carbon with a large surface area and an ultrahigh carbon purity via templating carbonization coupling with KOH activation as excellent supercapacitor electrode materials

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sun, Fei; Gao, Jihui, E-mail: gaojh@hit.edu.cn; Liu, Xin; Pi, Xinxin; Yang, Yuqi; Wu, Shaohua

    2016-11-30

    Highlights: • Simple templating carbonization method was developed to obtain porous carbons. • Surface etching by KOH activation greatly boosts surface area and carbon purity. • The as-obtained porous carbon delivers a high capacitance of 275 F g{sup −1}. • Symmetric supercapacitor can achieved high energy density and power density. - Abstract: Large surface area and good structural stability, for porous carbons, are two crucial requirements to enable the constructed supercapacitors with high capacitance and long cycling lifespan. Herein, we successfully prepare porous carbon with a large surface area (3175 m{sup 2} g{sup −1}) and an ultrahigh carbon purity (carbon atom ratio of 98.25%) via templating carbonization coupling with KOH activation. As-synthesized MTC-KOH exhibits excellent performances as supercapacitor electrode materials in terms of high specific capacitance and ultrahigh cycling stability. In a three electrode system, MTC-KOH delivers a high capacitance of 275 F g{sup −1} at 0.5 A g{sup −1} and still 120 F g{sup −1} at a high rate of 30 A g{sup −1}. There is almost no capacitance decay even after 10,000 cycles, demonstrating outstanding cycling stability. In comparison, pre-activated MTC with a hierarchical pore structure shows a better rate capability than microporous MTC-KOH. Moreover, the constructed symmetric supercapacitor using MTC-KOH can achieve high energy densities of 8.68 Wh kg{sup −1} and 4.03 Wh kg{sup −1} with the corresponding power densities of 108 W kg{sup −1} and 6.49 kW kg{sup −1}, respectively. Our work provides a simple design strategy to prepare highly porous carbons with high carbon purity for supercapacitors application.

  9. Preparation and characterization of high surface area activated carbon from Fox nut (Euryale ferox shell by chemical activation with H3PO4

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arvind Kumar

    Full Text Available Activated carbons were prepared from Fox nutshell by chemical activation with H3PO4 in N2 atmosphere and their characteristics were studied. The effects of activation temperature and impregnation ratio were examined. N2 adsorption isotherms characterized the surface area, total pore volume, micropore volume and pore size distribution of activated carbons. Activated carbon was produced at 700 °C with a 1.5 impregnation ratio and one hour of activation time has found 2636 m2/g and 1.53 cm3/g of highest BET surface area and total pore volume, respectively. The result of Fourier-infrared spectroscopy analysis of the prepared activated carbon confirmed that the carbon has abundant functional groups on the surface. Field emission scanning electron micrographs of the prepared activated carbon showed that a porous structure formed during activation. Keywords: Activated carbons, Fox nutshell, Chemical activation, H3PO4, Activated carbon, Surface chemistry, Porous structure

  10. Polymer-mediated synthesis of a nitrogen-doped carbon aerogel with highly dispersed Pt nanoparticles for enhanced electrocatalytic activity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2E2, School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, College of Engineering, Seoul National University (SNU), Seoul 151-742 (Korea, Republic of))" data-affiliation=" (World Class University (WCU) Program of Chemical Convergence for Energy & Environment C2E2, School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, College of Engineering, Seoul National University (SNU), Seoul 151-742 (Korea, Republic of))" >Kim, Gil-Pyo; 2E2, School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, College of Engineering, Seoul National University (SNU), Seoul 151-742 (Korea, Republic of))" data-affiliation=" (World Class University (WCU) Program of Chemical Convergence for Energy & Environment C2E2, School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, College of Engineering, Seoul National University (SNU), Seoul 151-742 (Korea, Republic of))" >Lee, Minzae; Lee, Yoon Jae; 2E2, School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, College of Engineering, Seoul National University (SNU), Seoul 151-742 (Korea, Republic of))" data-affiliation=" (World Class University (WCU) Program of Chemical Convergence for Energy & Environment C2E2, School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, College of Engineering, Seoul National University (SNU), Seoul 151-742 (Korea, Republic of))" >Bae, Seongjun; 2E2, School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, College of Engineering, Seoul National University (SNU), Seoul 151-742 (Korea, Republic of))" data-affiliation=" (World Class University (WCU) Program of Chemical Convergence for Energy & Environment C2E2, School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, College of Engineering, Seoul National University (SNU), Seoul 151-742 (Korea, Republic of))" >Song, Hyeon Dong; Song, In Kyu; 2E2, School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, College of Engineering, Seoul National University (SNU), Seoul 151-742 (Korea, Republic of))" data-affiliation=" (World Class University (WCU) Program of Chemical Convergence for Energy & Environment C2E2, School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, College of Engineering, Seoul National University (SNU), Seoul 151-742 (Korea, Republic of))" >Yi, Jongheop

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • Highly dispersed Pt nanoparticles on N-doped carbon aerogel were synthesized for ORR. • Poly(ethyleneimine) was used as nitrogen source and as nucleation sites for Pt. • Precise discussion were conducted to clarify the effect of poly(ethyleneimine). • High Pt dispersion and N-doping results in superior electrocatalytic activity. - Abstract: A simple chemical process for the direct synthesis of a nitrogen (N)-doped carbon aerogel (NCA) with highly dispersed Pt nanoparticles via a poly(ethyleneimine) (PEI)-assisted strategy is described. A resorcinol-formaldehyde (RF) gel was treated with water soluble cationic PEI, which mainly functions as an anchoring site for metal ions. The functionalized PEI chains on the surface of the RF gel resulted in the unique formation of chemical complexes, with PtCl 6 2− anchored to the RF gel, and subsequent homogeneous metal nanoparticle growth. The abundant amino groups containing PEI grafted to the RF gel also allowed the nitrogen atoms to be incorporated into the carbon framework, which can directly be converted into a NCA. The spherical Pt nanoparticles in the resulting material (Pt/NCA) were highly dispersed on the surface of the NCA without any evidenced of agglomeration, even after a thermal annealing at 900 °C. Compared with a Pt/CA synthesized by a conventional reduction method, the Pt/NCA showed enhanced electrochemical performance with a high electrochemically active surface area (191.1 cm 2 g −1 ) and electrocatalytic activity (V onset = 0.95 V vs. RHE) with respect to oxygen reduction. The superior electrocatalytic activities of the Pt/NCA can be attributed to the synergistic effect of the highly dispersed Pt nanoparticles and the N-doped carbon supports that were prepared using the PEI-assisted strategy. The findings reported herein suggest that the use of PEI can be effectively extended to broad applications that require the homogeneous deposition of metal nanoparticles.

  11. Experimental study on cryogenic adsorption of methane by activated carbon for helium coolant purification of High-Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chang, Hua; Wu, Zong-Xin; Jia, Hai-Jun

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • The cryogenic CH 4 adsorption on activated carbon was studied for design of HTGR. • The breakthrough curves at different conditions were analyzed by the MTZ model. • The CH 4 adsorption isotherm was fitted well by the Toth model and the D-R model. • The work provides valuable reference data for helium coolant purification of HTGR. - Abstract: The cryogenic adsorption behavior of methane on activated carbon was investigated for helium coolant purification of high-temperature gas-cooled reactor by using dynamic column breakthrough method. With helium as carrier gas, experiments were performed at −196 °C and low methane partial pressure range of 0–120 Pa. The breakthrough curves at different superficial velocities and different feed concentrations were measured and analyzed by the mass-transfer zone model. The methane single-component adsorption isotherm was obtained and fitted well by the Toth model and the Dubinin-Radushkevich model. The adsorption heat of methane on activated carbon was estimated. The cryogenic adsorption process of methane on activated carbon has been verified to be effective for helium coolant purification of high-temperature gas-cooled reactor.

  12. Preparation of activated carbon aerogel and its application to electrode material for electric double layer capacitor in organic electrolyte: Effect of activation temperature

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kwon, Soon Hyung; Lee, Eunji; Kim, Myung-Soo; Jung, Ji Chul [Myongji University, Yongin (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Bum-Soo; Kim, Sang-Gil; Lee, Byung-Jun [Vitzrocell Co., Yesan (Korea, Republic of)

    2015-02-15

    Carbon aerogel was chemically activated with KOH at various activation temperatures with the aim of improving the electrochemical performance of carbon aerogel for EDLC electrode. Electrochemical performance of activated carbon aerogel electrode was determined by cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge/discharge methods using coin-type EDLC cell in organic electrolyte. Activation temperature played an important role in determining the electrochemical performance of activated carbon aerogel for EDLC electrode. Specific capacitance of activated carbon aerogel at a high current density (5 A/g) showed a volcano-shaped curve with respect to activation temperature. Excessively high activation temperature could have an adverse effect on the electrochemical properties of activated carbon aerogel due to the low electrical conductivity caused by a collapse of characteristic structure of carbon aerogel. Among the carbon samples, carbon aerogel activated at 800 .deg. C with a high surface area and a well-developed porous structure exhibited the highest specific capacitance. In addition, carbon aerogel activated at 800 .deg. C retained a considerable specific capacitance at a high current density even after 1000 cycles of charge/discharge. Therefore, it is concluded that carbon aerogel activated with KOH at 800 .deg. C can serve as an efficient electrode material for commercial EDLC with a high power density.

  13. An assessment methodology for determining pesticides adsorption on granulated activated carbon

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Barthélemy J.-P.

    2003-01-01

    Full Text Available In many countries, water suppliers add granular activated carbon reactor in the drinking water treatment notably in order to remove pesticides residues. In Europe, their concentrations must lie below the values imposed by the EU directives (98/83/EC. Acouple of years ago, some mini-column tests were developed to improve the use of the activated carbon reactor in relation with lab experiments. Modelling, which was elaborated to predict the lifetime of reactors, did not bring validated results. Nevertheless, this kind of experiment allows us to assess the adsorption performances of an activated carbon for different pesticides. Because of the lack of comparable available results, we have eveloped a standardized methodology based on the experiment in mini-column of granular activated carbon. The main experimental conditions are activated carbon: Filtrasorb 400 (Chemviron Carbon; water: mineral and organic reconstituted water (humic acid concentration: 0,5 mg/l; influent concentration 500 g . l -1 ; activated carbon weight: 200 mg; EBCT (Empty Bed Contact Time: 0.16 min.; linear speed: 0.15 m . s -1 . In these conditions, it appears that diuron is highly adsorbed in comparison with other active substances like chloridazon, atrazine or MCPA. From the ratio of effluent volume for the breakthrough point with respect to diuron, it is suggested that products of which the difference factor ratio is – (a below 0.40: may be reckoned as weakly adsorbed (MCPA; (b from 0.41 to 0.80: may be reckoned as moderately adsorbed (chloridazon and atrazine; (c above 0.80: as highly adsorbed on granular activated carbon. Active substances that are weakly adsorbed and have to be removed from drinking water, may highly reduce the lifetime of an activated carbon bed. This kind of information is particularly useful for water suppliers and for regulatory authorities.

  14. Paracrystalline structure of activated carbons

    Science.gov (United States)

    Szczygielska, A.; Burian, A.; Dore, J. C.

    2001-06-01

    Structural studies by means of neutron diffraction of activated carbons, prepared from a polymer of phenol formaldehyde resin by carbonization and activation processes, with variable porosity, are presented. The neutron scattering data were recorded over the range of the scattering vector Q from 2.5 to 500 nm-1. The structure of activated carbons has been described in terms of disordered graphite-like layers with very weak interlayer correlations. The model has been generated by computer simulations and its validity has been tested by comparison of the experimental and calculated intensity functions. Modelling studies have shown that the model containing 3-4 layers each about 2 nm in diameter accounts for the experimental data and that graphite layers are randomly translated and rotated, according to the turbostratic structure. Near-neighbour carbon-carbon distances of about 0.139 nm and 0.154 nm have been determined. The Debye-Waller factor exp (-Q2σ2/2) with σ = σ0(r)1/2 suggests a paracrystalline structure within a single layer. The value of the interlayer spacing of 0.36 nm has been found from paracrystalline simulations of the layer arrangement in the c-axis direction. The high quality of the experimental data has enabled determination of the coordination numbers, the interatomic distances and their standard deviations using a curve-fitting procedure over the Q-range from 250 nm to 500 nm, providing structural information about short- and intermediate-range ordering.

  15. Active carbons from low temperature conversion chars

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Adebowale, K.O.; Bayer, E.

    2002-05-01

    Hulls obtained from the fruits of five tropical biomass have been subjected to low temperature conversion process and their chars activated by partial physical gasification to produce active carbons. The biomass are T. catappa, B. nitida, L leucophylla, D. regia and O. martiana. The bulk densities of the samples ranged from 0.32 g.cm 3 to 0.52 g.cm 3 . Out of the samples T. catappa recorded the highest cellulose content (41.9 g.100g -1 ), while O. martiana contained the highest lignin content (40.7 g.100g -1 ). The ash of the samples were low (0.5 - 4.4%). The percentage of char obtained after conversion were high (33.7% - 38.6%). Active carbons obtained from T. catappa, D. regia and O. martiana, recorded high methylene blue numbers and iodine values. They also displayed good micro- and mesostructural characteristics. Micropore volume (V micro ) was between 0.33cm 3 .g -1 - 0.40cm 3 .g -1 , while the mesopore volume(V meso ) was between 0.05 cm 3 .g -1 - 0.07 cm 3 .g -1 . The BET specific surface exceeds 1000 m 2 .g -1 . All these values compared favourably with high grade commercial active carbons. (author)

  16. Design of activated carbon/activated carbon asymmetric capacitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Piñeiro-Prado, Isabel; Salinas-Torres, David; Ruiz Rosas, Ramiro; Morallon, Emilia; Cazorla-Amoros, Diego

    2016-03-01

    Supercapacitors are energy storage devices that offer a high power density and a low energy density in comparison with batteries. Their limited energy density can be overcome by using asymmetric configuration in mass electrodes, where each electrode works within their maximum available potential window, rendering the maximum voltage output of the system. Such asymmetric capacitors must be optimized through careful electrochemical characterization of the electrodes for accurate determination of the capacitance and the potential stability limits. The results of the characterization are then used for optimizing mass ratio of the electrodes from the balance of stored charge. The reliability of the design largely depends on the approach taken for the electrochemical characterization. Therefore, the performance could be lower than expected and even the system could break down, if a well thought out procedure is not followed. In this work, a procedure for the development of asymmetric supercapacitors based on activated carbons is detailed. Three activated carbon materials with different textural properties and surface chemistry have been systematically characterized in neutral aqueous electrolyte. The asymmetric configuration of the masses of both electrodes in the supercapacitor has allowed to cover a higher potential window, resulting in an increase of the energy density of the three devices studied when compared with the symmetric systems, and an improved cycle life.

  17. Design of activated carbon/activated carbon asymmetric capacitors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Isabel ePiñeiro-Prado

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Supercapacitors are energy storage devices that offer a high power density and a low energy density in comparison with batteries. Their limited energy density can be overcome by using asymmetric configuration in mass electrodes, where each electrode works within their maximum available potential window, rendering the maximum voltage output of the system. Such asymmetric capacitors must be optimized through careful electrochemical characterization of the electrodes for accurate determination of the capacitance and the potential stability limits. The results of the characterization are then used for optimizing mass ratio of the electrodes from the balance of stored charge. The reliability of the design largely depends on the approach taken for the electrochemical characterization. Therefore, the performance could be lower than expected and even the system could break down, if a well thought out procedure is not followed.In this work, a procedure for the development of asymmetric supercapacitors based on activated carbons is detailed. Three activated carbon materials with different textural properties and surface chemistry have been systematically characterized in neutral aqueous electrolyte. The asymmetric configuration of the masses of both electrodes in the supercapacitor has allowed to cover a higher potential window, resulting in an increase of the energy density of the three devices studied when compared with the symmetric systems, and an improved cycle life.

  18. Carbon-Based Supercapacitors Produced by Activation of Graphene

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhu, Y.; Su, D.; Murali, S.; Stoller, M.D.; Ganesh, K.J.; Cai, W.; Ferreira, P.J.; Pirkle, A.; Wallace, R.M.; Cychosz, K.A., Thommes, M.; Stach, E.A.; Ruoff, R.S.

    2011-06-24

    Supercapacitors, also called ultracapacitors or electrochemical capacitors, store electrical charge on high-surface-area conducting materials. Their widespread use is limited by their low energy storage density and relatively high effective series resistance. Using chemical activation of exfoliated graphite oxide, we synthesized a porous carbon with a Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area of up to 3100 square meters per gram, a high electrical conductivity, and a low oxygen and hydrogen content. This sp{sup 2}-bonded carbon has a continuous three-dimensional network of highly curved, atom-thick walls that form primarily 0.6- to 5-nanometer-width pores. Two-electrode supercapacitor cells constructed with this carbon yielded high values of gravimetric capacitance and energy density with organic and ionic liquid electrolytes. The processes used to make this carbon are readily scalable to industrial levels.

  19. Carbon-Based Supercapacitors Produced by Activation of Graphene

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Yanwu; Murali, Shanthi; Stoller, Meryl D.; Ganesh, K. J.; Cai, Weiwei; Ferreira, Paulo J.; Pirkle, Adam; Wallace, Robert M.; Cychosz, Katie A.; Thommes, Matthias; Su, Dong; Stach, Eric A.; Ruoff, Rodney S.

    2011-06-01

    Supercapacitors, also called ultracapacitors or electrochemical capacitors, store electrical charge on high-surface-area conducting materials. Their widespread use is limited by their low energy storage density and relatively high effective series resistance. Using chemical activation of exfoliated graphite oxide, we synthesized a porous carbon with a Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area of up to 3100 square meters per gram, a high electrical conductivity, and a low oxygen and hydrogen content. This sp2-bonded carbon has a continuous three-dimensional network of highly curved, atom-thick walls that form primarily 0.6- to 5-nanometer-width pores. Two-electrode supercapacitor cells constructed with this carbon yielded high values of gravimetric capacitance and energy density with organic and ionic liquid electrolytes. The processes used to make this carbon are readily scalable to industrial levels.

  20. Carbon-based Supercapacitors Produced by Activation of Graphene

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Y Zhu; S Murali; M Stoller; K Ganesh; W Cai; P Ferreira; A Pirkle; R Wallace; K Cychosz; et al.

    2011-12-31

    Supercapacitors, also called ultracapacitors or electrochemical capacitors, store electrical charge on high-surface-area conducting materials. Their widespread use is limited by their low energy storage density and relatively high effective series resistance. Using chemical activation of exfoliated graphite oxide, we synthesized a porous carbon with a Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area of up to 3100 square meters per gram, a high electrical conductivity, and a low oxygen and hydrogen content. This sp{sup 2}-bonded carbon has a continuous three-dimensional network of highly curved, atom-thick walls that form primarily 0.6- to 5-nanometer-width pores. Two-electrode supercapacitor cells constructed with this carbon yielded high values of gravimetric capacitance and energy density with organic and ionic liquid electrolytes. The processes used to make this carbon are readily scalable to industrial levels.

  1. Characterization of Activated Carbons from Oil-Palm Shell by CO2 Activation with No Holding Carbonization Temperature

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. G. Herawan

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Activated carbons can be produced from different precursors, including coals of different ranks, and lignocellulosic materials, by physical or chemical activation processes. The objective of this paper is to characterize oil-palm shells, as a biomass byproduct from palm-oil mills which were converted into activated carbons by nitrogen pyrolysis followed by CO2 activation. The effects of no holding peak pyrolysis temperature on the physical characteristics of the activated carbons are studied. The BET surface area of the activated carbon is investigated using N2 adsorption at 77 K with selected temperatures of 500, 600, and 700°C. These pyrolysis conditions for preparing the activated carbons are found to yield higher BET surface area at a pyrolysis temperature of 700°C compared to selected commercial activated carbon. The activated carbons thus result in well-developed porosities and predominantly microporosities. By using this activation method, significant improvement can be obtained in the surface characteristics of the activated carbons. Thus this study shows that the preparation time can be shortened while better results of activated carbon can be produced.

  2. Activation and micropore structure of carbon-fiber composites

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jagtoyen, M.; Derbyshire, F.; Kimber, G. [Univ. of Kentucky, Lexington, KY (United States). Center for Applied Energy Research

    1997-12-01

    Rigid, high surface area activated carbon fiber composites have been produced with high permeabilities for environmental applications in gas and water purification. The project involves a collaboration between the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and the Center for Applied Energy Research (CAER), University of Kentucky. The main focus of recent work has been to find a satisfactory means to uniformly activate large samples of carbon fiber composites to produce controlled pore structures. Processes have been developed using activation in steam and CO{sub 2}, and a less conventional method involving oxygen chemisorption and subsequent heat treatment. Another objective has been to explore applications for the activated composites in environmental applications related to fossil energy production.

  3. Mesoporous activated carbon from corn stalk core for lithium ion batteries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Yi; Li, Chun; Qi, Hui; Yu, Kaifeng; Liang, Ce

    2018-04-01

    A novel mesoporous activated carbon (AC) derived from corn stalk core is prepared via a facile and effective method which including the decomposition and carbonization of corn stalk core under an inert gas atmosphere and further activation process with KOH solution. The mesoporous activated carbon (AC) is characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) measurements. These biomass waste derived from activated carbon is proved to be promising anode materials for high specific capacity lithium ion batteries. The activated carbon anode possesses excellent reversible capacity of 504 mAh g-1 after 100 cycles at 0.2C. Compared with the unactivated carbon (UAC), the electrochemical performance of activated carbon is significantly improved due to its mesoporous structure.

  4. Pomelo peels-derived porous activated carbon microsheets dual-doped with nitrogen and phosphorus for high performance electrochemical capacitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Zhen; Tan, Yongtao; Yang, Yunlong; Zhao, Xiaoning; Liu, Ying; Niu, Lengyuan; Tichnell, Brandon; Kong, Lingbin; Kang, Long; Liu, Zhen; Ran, Fen

    2018-02-01

    In this work, biomass pomelo peel is used to fabricate the porous activated carbon microsheets, and diammonium hydrogen phosphate (DHP) is employed to dual-dope carbon with nitrogen and phosphorus elements. With the benefit of DHP inducement and dual-doping of nitrogen and phosphorus, the prepared carbon material has a higher carbon yield, and exhibits higher specific surface area (about 807.7 m2/g), and larger pore volume (about 0.4378 cm3/g) with hierarchically structure of interconnected thin microsheets compared to the pristine carbon. The material exhibits not only high specific capacitance (240 F/g at 0.5 A/g), but also superior cycling performance (approximately 100% of capacitance retention after 10,000 cycles at 2 A/g) in 2 M KOH aqueous electrolyte. Furthermore, the assembled symmetric electrochemical capacitor in 1 M Na2SO4 aqueous electrolyte exhibits a high energy density of 11.7 Wh/kg at a power density of 160 W/kg.

  5. Production of palm kernel shell-based activated carbon by direct physical activation for carbon dioxide adsorption.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rashidi, Nor Adilla; Yusup, Suzana

    2018-05-09

    The feasibility of biomass-based activated carbons has received a huge attention due to their excellent characteristics such as inexpensiveness, good adsorption behaviour and potential to reduce a strong dependency towards non-renewable precursors. Therefore, in this research work, eco-friendly activated carbon from palm kernel shell that has been produced from one-stage physical activation by using the Box-Behnken design of Response Surface Methodology is highlighted. The effect of three input parameters-temperature, dwell time and gas flow rate-towards product yield and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) uptake at room temperature and atmospheric pressure are studied. Model accuracy has been evaluated through the ANOVA analysis and lack-of-fit test. Accordingly, the optimum condition in synthesising the activated carbon with adequate CO 2 adsorption capacity of 2.13 mmol/g and product yield of 25.15 wt% is found at a temperature of 850 °C, holding time of 60 min and CO 2 flow rate of 450 cm 3 /min. The synthesised activated carbon has been characterised by diverse analytical instruments including thermogravimetric analyser, scanning electron microscope, as well as N 2 adsorption-desorption isotherm. The characterisation analysis indicates that the synthesised activated carbon has higher textural characteristics and porosity, together with better thermal stability and carbon content as compared to pristine palm kernel shell. Activated carbon production via one-step activation approach is economical since its carbon yield is within the industrial target, whereas CO 2 uptake is comparable to the synthesised activated carbon from conventional dual-stage activation, commercial activated carbon and other published data from literature.

  6. Silica decorated on porous activated carbon nanofiber composites for high-performance supercapacitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, So Yeun; Kim, Bo-Hye

    2016-10-01

    A hybrid of silica decorated on porous activated carbon nanofibers (ACNFs) is fabricated in the form of a web via electrospinning and an activation process as an electrode material for electrochemical capacitors in an organic electrolyte. The introduction of PhSiH3 (PS) into the polyacrylonitrile (PAN) solution induces a porous ACNF structure containing silica nanoparticles (NPs) via the spontaneous sol-gel process of PS by steam in the subsequent physical activation process. These inorganic-organic hybrid composites of porous ACNF containing silica NPs show superior specific capacitance and energy density in electrochemical tests, along with good rate capability and excellent cycle life in an organic electrolyte, which is attributed to the combination of ACNF's high surface area and silica's hydrophilicity. The electrochemical performance decreases with increasing PS concentration, and this trend is consistent with the specific surface area results, which reveal the rapid formation of a double layer.

  7. Photoconductivity of Activated Carbon Fibers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuriyama, K.; Dresselhaus, M. S.

    1990-08-01

    The photoconductivity is measured on a high-surface-area disordered carbon material, namely activated carbon fibers, to investigate their electronic properties. Measurements of decay time, recombination kinetics and temperature dependence of the photoconductivity generally reflect the electronic properties of a material. The material studied in this paper is a highly disordered carbon derived from a phenolic precursor, having a huge specific surface area of 1000--2000m{sup 2}/g. Our preliminary thermopower measurements suggest that this carbon material is a p-type semiconductor with an amorphous-like microstructure. The intrinsic electrical conductivity, on the order of 20S/cm at room temperature, increases with increasing temperature in the range 30--290K. In contrast with the intrinsic conductivity, the photoconductivity in vacuum decreases with increasing temperature. The recombination kinetics changes from a monomolecular process at room temperature to a biomolecular process at low temperatures. The observed decay time of the photoconductivity is {approx equal}0.3sec. The magnitude of the photoconductive signal was reduced by a factor of ten when the sample was exposed to air. The intrinsic carrier density and the activation energy for conduction are estimated to be {approx equal}10{sup 21}/cm{sup 3} and {approx equal}20meV, respectively. The majority of the induced photocarriers and of the intrinsic carriers are trapped, resulting in the long decay time of the photoconductivity and the positive temperature dependence of the conductivity.

  8. Highly porous carbon with large electrochemical ion absorption capability for high-performance supercapacitors and ion capacitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Shijie; Wang, Rutao; Zhang, Yabin; Zhang, Li

    2017-11-03

    Carbon-based supercapacitors have attracted extensive attention as the complement to batteries, owing to their durable lifespan and superiority in high-power-demand fields. However, their widespread use is limited by the low energy storage density; thus, a high-surface-area porous carbon is urgently needed. Herein, a highly porous carbon with a Brunauer-Emmett-Teller specific surface area up to 3643 m 2 g -1 has been synthesized by chemical activation of papayas for the first time. This sp 2 -bonded porous carbon has a continuous three-dimensional network of highly curved, atom-thick walls that form narrow mesopores of 2 ∼ 5 nm in width, which can be systematically tailored with varied activation levels. Two-electrode symmetric supercapacitors constructed by this porous carbon achieve energy density of 8.1 Wh kg -1 in aqueous electrolyte and 65.5 Wh kg -1 in ionic-liquid electrolyte. Furthermore, half-cells (versus Li or Na metal) using this porous carbon as ion sorption cathodes yield high specific capacity, e.g., 51.0 and 39.3 mAh g -1 in Li + and Na + based organic electrolyte. These results underline the possibility of obtaining the porous carbon for high-performance carbon-based supercapacitors and ion capacitors in a readily scalable and economical way.

  9. Highly porous carbon with large electrochemical ion absorption capability for high-performance supercapacitors and ion capacitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Shijie; Wang, Rutao; Zhang, Yabin; Zhang, Li

    2017-11-01

    Carbon-based supercapacitors have attracted extensive attention as the complement to batteries, owing to their durable lifespan and superiority in high-power-demand fields. However, their widespread use is limited by the low energy storage density; thus, a high-surface-area porous carbon is urgently needed. Herein, a highly porous carbon with a Brunauer-Emmett-Teller specific surface area up to 3643 m2 g-1 has been synthesized by chemical activation of papayas for the first time. This sp2-bonded porous carbon has a continuous three-dimensional network of highly curved, atom-thick walls that form narrow mesopores of 2 ˜ 5 nm in width, which can be systematically tailored with varied activation levels. Two-electrode symmetric supercapacitors constructed by this porous carbon achieve energy density of 8.1 Wh kg-1 in aqueous electrolyte and 65.5 Wh kg-1 in ionic-liquid electrolyte. Furthermore, half-cells (versus Li or Na metal) using this porous carbon as ion sorption cathodes yield high specific capacity, e.g., 51.0 and 39.3 mAh g-1 in Li+ and Na+ based organic electrolyte. These results underline the possibility of obtaining the porous carbon for high-performance carbon-based supercapacitors and ion capacitors in a readily scalable and economical way.

  10. Chemical activation of gasification carbon residue for phosphate removal

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kilpimaa, Sari; Runtti, Hanna; Lassi, Ulla; Kuokkanen, Toivo

    2012-05-01

    Recycling of waste materials provides an economical and environmentally significant method to reduce the amount of waste. Bioash formed in the gasification process possesses a notable amount of unburned carbon and therefore it can be called a carbon residue. After chemical activation carbon residue could be use to replace activated carbon for example in wastewater purification processes. The effect of chemical activation process variables such as chemical agents and contact time in the chemical activation process were investigated. This study also explored the effectiveness of the chemically activated carbon residue for the removal of phosphate from an aqueous solution. The experimental adsorption study was performed in a batch reactor and the influence of adsorption time, initial phosphate concentration and pH was studied. Due to the carbon residue's low cost and high adsorption capacity, this type of waste has the potential to be utilised for the cost-effective removal of phosphate from wastewaters. Potential adsorbents could be prepared from these carbonaceous by-products and used as an adsorbent for phosphate removal.

  11. A novel route to graphite-like carbon supporting SnO{sub 2} with high electron transfer and photocatalytic activity

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chen, Xianjie; Liu, Fenglin; Liu, Bing [Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Advanced Organochemical Materials, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062 (China); Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for the Synthesis and Applications of Organic Functional Molecules, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062 (China); Tian, Lihong, E-mail: tian7978@hubu.edu.cn [Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Advanced Organochemical Materials, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062 (China); Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for the Synthesis and Applications of Organic Functional Molecules, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062 (China); Hu, Wei; Xia, Qinghua [Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Advanced Organochemical Materials, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062 (China); Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for the Synthesis and Applications of Organic Functional Molecules, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062 (China)

    2015-04-28

    Highlights: • Mesoporous nanocomposites that graphite-like carbon supporting SnO{sub 2} are prepared by solvothermal method combined with a post- calcination. • The polyvinylpyrrolidone not only promotes the nucleation and crystallization but also provides the carbon source in the process. • The graphite-like carbon hinders the recombination of photogenerated electron and holes efficiently. • The mesoporous carbon–SnO{sub 2} nanocomposite shows high photocatalytic activity on the degradation of Rhodamine B and glyphosate under simulated sunlight. - Abstract: Mesoporous graphite-like carbon supporting SnO{sub 2} (carbon–SnO{sub 2}) nanocomposites were prepared by a modified solvothermal method combined with a post-calcination at 500 °C under a nitrogen atmosphere. The polyvinylpyrrolidone not only promotes the nucleation and crystallization, but also provides the carbon source in the process. The results of scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy show a uniform distribution of SnO{sub 2} nanoparticles on the graphite- like carbon surface. Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectra indicate the presence of strong C–Sn interaction between SnO{sub 2} and graphite-like carbon. Photoelectrochemical measurements confirm that the effective separation of electron–hole pairs on the carbon–SnO{sub 2} nanocomposite leads to a high photocatalytic activity on the degradation of Rhodamine B and glyphosate under simulated sunlight irradiation. The nanocomposite materials show a potential application in dealing with the environmental and industrial contaminants under sunlight irradiation.

  12. Preparation of High Surface Area Activated Carbon from Spent Phenolic Resin by Microwave Heating and KOH Activation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, Song; Zhang, Libo; Zhang, Shengzhou; Xia, Hongying; Peng, Jinhui

    2018-01-01

    The spent phenolic resin is as raw material for preparing high surface area activated carbon (HSAAC) by microwave-assisted KOH activation. The effects of microwave power, activation duration and impregnation ratio (IR) on the iodine adsorption capability and yield of HSAAC were investigated. The surface characteristics of HSAAC were characterized by nitrogen adsorption isotherms, FTIR, SEM and TEM. The operating variables were optimized utilizing the response surface methodology (RSM) and were identified to be microwave power of 700 W, activation duration of 15 min and IR of 4, corresponding to a yield of 51.25 % and an iodine number of 2,384 mg/g. The pore structure parameters of the HSAAC, i. e., Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area, total pore volume, and average pore diameter were estimated to be 4,269 m2/g, 2.396 ml/g and 2.25 nm, respectively, under optimum conditions. The findings strongly support the feasibility of microwave-assisted KOH activation for preparation of HSAAC from spent phenolic resin.

  13. Measurement of carbon activity of sodium using nickel tabs and the Harwell Carbon Meter - Preliminary experience

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Blundell, A.; Thorley, A.W.

    1980-01-01

    Carbon can have an important effect on the mechanical properties of certain constructional materials likely to be used in the LMFBRs. Transfer of carbon will occur between the metal and the sodium at any particular location to bring the chemical potential of carbon in both components to the sam: value. Thus, in a mixed system containing austenitic stainless steel and unstabilized ferritic steel, carbon could be transferred by the sodium from the high carbon activity ferritic to the lower activity austenitic steel. Loss of carbon from the unstabilized ferritic steel leads to a weaker, more ductile material, while carburization of the stainless steel could lead to its embrittlement. Similarly carbon entering the coolant in the form of oil from leaking mechanical pumps could have similar effects on the mechanical property of stainless steels. In the light of these possibilities it is essential to measure the carbon activity of the sodium so that its effect on materials properties can be predicted

  14. Measurement of carbon activity of sodium using nickel tabs and the Harwell Carbon Meter - Preliminary experience

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Blundell, A; Thorley, A W [UKAEA, Risley, Warrington, Cheshire (United Kingdom)

    1980-05-01

    Carbon can have an important effect on the mechanical properties of certain constructional materials likely to be used in the LMFBRs. Transfer of carbon will occur between the metal and the sodium at any particular location to bring the chemical potential of carbon in both components to the sam: value. Thus, in a mixed system containing austenitic stainless steel and unstabilized ferritic steel, carbon could be transferred by the sodium from the high carbon activity ferritic to the lower activity austenitic steel. Loss of carbon from the unstabilized ferritic steel leads to a weaker, more ductile material, while carburization of the stainless steel could lead to its embrittlement. Similarly carbon entering the coolant in the form of oil from leaking mechanical pumps could have similar effects on the mechanical property of stainless steels. In the light of these possibilities it is essential to measure the carbon activity of the sodium so that its effect on materials properties can be predicted.

  15. Active carbons from low temperature conversion chars

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Adebowale, K O [Department of Chemistry, University of lbadan, lbadan (Nigeria); Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Trieste (Italy); Bayer, E [Universitaet Tuebingen, Institut fuer Organische Chemie, Forschungstelle Nukleinsaeure- und Peptidchemie, Tuebingen (Germany)

    2002-05-01

    Hulls obtained from the fruits of five tropical biomass have been subjected to low temperature conversion process and their chars activated by partial physical gasification to produce active carbons. The biomass are T. catappa, B. nitida, L leucophylla, D. regia and O. martiana. The bulk densities of the samples ranged from 0.32 g.cm{sup 3} to 0.52 g.cm{sup 3}. Out of the samples T. catappa recorded the highest cellulose content (41.9 g.100g{sup -1}), while O. martiana contained the highest lignin content (40.7 g.100g{sup -1}). The ash of the samples were low (0.5 - 4.4%). The percentage of char obtained after conversion were high (33.7% - 38.6%). Active carbons obtained from T. catappa, D. regia and O. martiana, recorded high methylene blue numbers and iodine values. They also displayed good micro- and mesostructural characteristics. Micropore volume (V{sub micro}) was between 0.33cm{sup 3}.g{sup -1} - 0.40cm{sup 3}.g{sup -1}, while the mesopore volume(V{sub meso}) was between 0.05 cm{sup 3}.g{sup -1} - 0.07 cm{sup 3}.g{sup -1}. The BET specific surface exceeds 1000 m{sup 2}.g{sup -1}. All these values compared favourably with high grade commercial active carbons. (author)

  16. Experimental determination of boron and carbon thermodynamic activities in the carbide phase of the boron-carbon system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Froment, A.K.

    1990-01-01

    - The boron-carbon phase diagram presents a single phase area ranging from 9 to 20 atomic percent of carbon. The measurement of carbon activity, in this range of composition, has been measured according to the following methods: - quantitative analysis of the methane-hydrogen mixture in equilibrium with the carbide, - high temperature mass spectrometry measurements. The first method turned out to be a failure; however, the apparatus used enabled the elaboration of a B 4 C composition pure phase from a two-phase (B 4 C + graphite) industrial product. The results obtained with the other two methods are consistent and lead to a law expressing the increase of the carbon activity in relation with the amount of this element; the high temperature mass spectrometry method has also made it possible to measure the boron activity which decreases when the carbon activity increases, but with a variation of amplitude much lower, according to the theoretical calculations. These results are a first step towards the knowledge of the boron carbide thermodynamical data for compositions different from B 4 C [fr

  17. Highly stretchable carbon aerogels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Fan; Jiang, Yanqiu; Xu, Zhen; Xiao, Youhua; Fang, Bo; Liu, Yingjun; Gao, Weiwei; Zhao, Pei; Wang, Hongtao; Gao, Chao

    2018-02-28

    Carbon aerogels demonstrate wide applications for their ultralow density, rich porosity, and multifunctionalities. Their compressive elasticity has been achieved by different carbons. However, reversibly high stretchability of neat carbon aerogels is still a great challenge owing to their extremely dilute brittle interconnections and poorly ductile cells. Here we report highly stretchable neat carbon aerogels with a retractable 200% elongation through hierarchical synergistic assembly. The hierarchical buckled structures and synergistic reinforcement between graphene and carbon nanotubes enable a temperature-invariable, recoverable stretching elasticity with small energy dissipation (~0.1, 100% strain) and high fatigue resistance more than 10 6 cycles. The ultralight carbon aerogels with both stretchability and compressibility were designed as strain sensors for logic identification of sophisticated shape conversions. Our methodology paves the way to highly stretchable carbon and neat inorganic materials with extensive applications in aerospace, smart robots, and wearable devices.

  18. Potassium vapor assisted preparation of highly graphitized hierarchical porous carbon for high rate performance supercapacitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Zheng; Zeng, Ying; Tang, Qunli; Hu, Aiping; Xiao, Kuikui; Zhang, Shiying; Deng, Weina; Fan, Binbin; Zhu, Yanfei; Chen, Xiaohua

    2017-09-01

    Ultrahigh graphitized carbon microspheres with rich hierarchical pores (AGHPCM-1) have been successfully synthesized through the one-step activation-carbonization strategy (OACS) with porous sulfonated poly-divinylbenzene as the carbon precursor, iron as the hard template and catalyst, and potassium hydroxide (KOH) as activation agent. Through the XRD, TEM, Raman and BET analysis, AGHPCM-1 shows very high graphitization degree and rich micro-, meso- and macro-pores. More importantly, the mechanism for KOH to improve the graphitization degree of carbon materials in OACS has been illustrated by the thermodynamical theory. The tremendous heat releasing from the reaction between the catalyst precursor of Fe2O3 and potassium vapor plays a key role in the formation of graphitized carbon. It may provide a general direction to prepare highly graphitized porous carbon at a moderate temperature. Integrating the advantages of high graphitization degree and rich hierarchical porous structure, the AGHPCM-1 exhibits an excellent rate performance with a response to up to the high current density of 150 A g-1 and high scan rate of 2000 mV s-1. No obvious capacitance decay can be observed after 10000 charge/discharge cycles even at the high current density of 20 A g-1.

  19. Preparation of very pure active carbon

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sloot, H.A. van der; Hoede, D.; Zonderhuis, J.; Meijer, C.

    1980-02-01

    The preparation of very pure active carbon is described. Starting from polyvinylidene chloride active carbon is prepared by carbonization in a nitrogen atmosphere, grinding, sieving and activation of the powder fraction with CO 2 at 950 0 to approximately 50% burn-off. The concentrations of trace and major elements are reduced to the ppb and ppm level, respectively. In the present set-up 100 g of carbon grains and approximately 50 g of active carbon powder can be produced weekly

  20. Preparation of porous bio-char and activated carbon from rice husk by leaching ash and chemical activation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahiduzzaman, Md; Sadrul Islam, A K M

    2016-01-01

    Preparation porous bio-char and activated carbon from rice husk char study has been conducted in this study. Rice husk char contains high amount silica that retards the porousness of bio-char. Porousness of rice husk char could be enhanced by removing the silica from char and applying heat at high temperature. Furthermore, the char is activated by using chemical activation under high temperature. In this study no inert media is used. The study is conducted at low oxygen environment by applying biomass for consuming oxygen inside reactor and double crucible method (one crucible inside another) is applied to prevent intrusion of oxygen into the char. The study results shows that porous carbon is prepared successfully without using any inert media. The adsorption capacity of material increased due to removal of silica and due to the activation with zinc chloride compared to using raw rice husk char. The surface area of porous carbon and activated carbon are found to be 28, 331 and 645 m(2) g(-1) for raw rice husk char, silica removed rice husk char and zinc chloride activated rice husk char, respectively. It is concluded from this study that porous bio-char and activated carbon could be prepared in normal environmental conditions instead of inert media. This study shows a method and possibility of activated carbon from agro-waste, and it could be scaled up for commercial production.

  1. Preparation and Adsorption Performances of Phragmites australis Activated Carbon with High Acidity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    FU Cheng-kai

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available For removal of heavy metals from wastewater and recycling the wetland plants, the present study investigated the viability of using silage of Phragmites australis (PA to prepare activated carbons (ACs with high acidity. BET surface area, porous texture and surface functional characteristics of ACs were analyzed by N2 adsorption/desorption, elemental analysis and Boehm titration method. ACs presented well-developed micro-porosity and favorable surface acidity. The sorption equilibrium data for Ni (Ⅱ and Cd (Ⅱ sorption onto ACs were analyzed by the Langmuir and Freundlich models. The Langmuir model was fitted well to the adsorption behavior. The properties of high surface acidity promoted the adsorption of heavy metals by the silage-treated ACs and the chemical sorption played the key role in the sorption process.

  2. Highly sensitive glucose sensor based on monodisperse palladium nickel/activated carbon nanocomposites.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koskun, Yağmur; Şavk, Aysun; Şen, Betül; Şen, Fatih

    2018-06-20

    Glucose enzyme biosensors have been used for a variety of applications such as medical diagnosis, bioprocess engineering, beverage industry and environmental scanning etc. and there is still a growing interest in glucose sensors. For this purpose, addressed herein, as a novel glucose sensor, highly sensitive activated carbon (AC) decorated monodisperse nickel and palladium alloy nanocomposites modified glassy carbon electrode (Ni-Pd@AC/GCE NCs) have been synthesized by in-situ reduction technique. Raman Spectroscopy (RS), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), cyclic voltammetry (CV) and chronoamperometry (CA) were used for the characterization of the prepared non-enzymatic glucose sensor. The characteristic sensor properties of the Ni-Pd@AC/GCE electrode were compared with Ni-Pd NCs/GCE, Ni@AC/GCE and Pd@AC/GCE and the results demonstrate that the AC is very effective in the enhancement of the electrocatalytic properties of sensor. In addition, the Ni-Pd@AC/GCE nanocomposites showed a very low detection limit of 0.014 μM, a wide linear range of 0.01 mM-1 mM and a very high sensitivity of 90 mA mM -1  cm -2 . Furthermore, the recommended sensor offer the various advantageous such as facile preparation, fast response time, high selectivity and sensitivity. Lastly, monodisperse Ni-Pd@AC/GCE was utilized to detect glucose in real sample species. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. One-pot synthetic method to prepare highly N-doped nanoporous carbons for CO2 adsorption

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Meng, Long-Yue; Park, Soo-Jin

    2014-01-01

    A one-pot synthetic method was used for the preparation of nanoporous carbon containing nitrogen from polypyrrole (PPY) using NaOH as the activated agent. The activation process was carried out under set conditions (NaOH/PPY = 2 and NaOH/PPY = 4) at different temperatures in 600–900 °C for 2 h. The effect of the activation conditions on the pore structure, surface functional groups and CO 2 adsorption capacities of the prepared N-doped activated carbons was examined. The carbon was analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), N2/77 K full isotherms, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The CO 2 adsorption capacity of the N-doped activated carbon was measured at 298 K and 1 bar. By dissolving the activation agents, the N-doped activated carbon exhibited high specific surface areas (755–2169 m 2 g −1 ) and high pore volumes (0.394–1.591 cm 3 g −1 ). In addition, the N-doped activated carbons contained a high N content at lower activation temperatures (7.05 wt.%). The N-doped activated carbons showed a very high CO 2 adsorption capacity of 177 mg g −1 at 298 K and 1 bar. The CO 2 adsorption capacity was found to be dependent on the microporosity and N contents. - Highlights: • A one-pot synthetic method was used for the preparation of N-doped nanoporous carbons. • Polypyrrole (PPY) were activated with NaOH under set conditions (NaOH/PPY = 2 and 4). • N-doped activated carbon exhibited high specific surface areas (2169 m 2 g −1 ). • The carbons showed a very high CO 2 adsorption capacity of 177 mg g −1 at 298 K

  4. Determination of chromium in water samples by neutron activation analysis after preconcentration on activated carbon

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    van der Sloot, H A [Stichting Reactor Centrum Nederland, Petten

    1977-01-01

    A method is presented for the determination of chromium in sea- and fresh water. Chromium is concentrated on activated carbon from a neutral solution after a previous reduction of chromate with sodium sulfite at pH 1.5. The adsorption conditions, acidity, concentrations, amount of carbon, stirring-time, sample-volume, salinity, the influence of storage on the ratio of tervalent to hexavalent chromium, were investigated. The final determination of the total chromium content is performed by instrumental neutron-activation analysis. By preconcentration on activated carbon, a differentiation between tervalent and hexavalent chromium is possible. A separate determination of both species is not yet feasible due to the high carbon blank and to the necessity of measuring the adsorption percentage on carbon. The lower limit of determination, which depends on the value of the carbon blank, is 0.05 ..mu..g Cr/l with a precision of 20%. The determination is hampered by the considerable blank from the carbon. The use of activated carbon prepared from recrystallized sugar will probably improve the lower limit of determination and possibly allow the determination of chromate.

  5. Electrolyte Engineering: Optimizing High-Rate Double-Layer Capacitances of Micropore- and Mesopore-Rich Activated Carbon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Ting-Hao; Yang, Cheng-Hsien; Su, Ching-Yuan; Lee, Tai-Chou; Dong, Quan-Feng; Chang, Jeng-Kuei

    2017-09-22

    Various types of electrolyte cations as well as binary cations are used to optimize the capacitive performance of activated carbon (AC) with different pore structures. The high-rate capability of micropore-rich AC, governed by the mobility of desolvated cations, can outperform that of mesopore-rich AC, which essentially depends on the electrolyte conductivity. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  6. Synthesis of high specific activity carbon-11 labeled tracers for neuroreceptor studies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dannals, R.F.; Ravert, H.T.; Wilson, A.A.; Wagner, H.N. Jr; Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD

    1989-01-01

    The use of short-lived positron-emitting radiotracers together with positron emission tomography (PET) has allowed scientists to acquire previously inaccessible information regarding problems in physiology, biochemistry, and pharmacology in the living human body. In the past five years, successes in the application of PET to the non-invasive determination of the spatial distribution and regional concentration of a variety of neurotransmitter binding sites within the living brain often followed the successful selections and syntheses of appropriately radiolabeled ligands. This presentation concentrates on the synthesis of these high specific activity radiotracers for neuroreceptor PET studies labeled specifically with carbon-11. (author). 15 refs.; 1 fig

  7. Assessment of the impact of anthropic activities on carbon storage in soils of high montane ecosystems in Colombia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Orlando Zúñiga-Escobar

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available The organic carbon in the soil was quantified to assess the impact of anthropic activities on montane ecosystems in Colombia in Chingaza Parque Nacional Natural (PNN and Los Nevados Parque Nacional Natural (PNN . For the development of the soil samples, a detailed in situ description of the edaphological profile of four ecosystems of paramo and high Andean forest areas, of both disturbed and undisturbed zones, was taken as the base. The calculation of the amount of total carbon stored by the soil profile shows that, in Colombia, undisturbed high montane ecosystems (520.9 t ha-1 in paramos and 323.6 t ha-1 in high Andean forests of Chingaza PNN , and 373.0 t ha-1 in paramos and 254.6 t ha-1 in high Andean forests of Los Nevados PNN currently have more carbon than disturbed ecosystems (135.1 t ha-1 in paramos and 141.5 t ha-1 in high Andean forests of Chingaza PNN , and 356.3 t ha-1 in paramos and 217.1 t ha-1 in high Andean forests of Los Nevados PNN . It is clear that the disturbance of high montane ecosystems decreases the amount of carbon in the soil, a situation that is more concerning in Chingaza PNN where the difference between the disturbed and undisturbed ecosystems is much more marked than in Los Nevados PNN

  8. Thermal analysis of physical and chemical changes occuring during regeneration of activated carbon

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Radić Dejan B.

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available High-temperature thermal process is a commercial way of regeneration of spent granular activated carbon. The paper presents results of thermal analysis conducted in order to examine high-temperature regeneration of spent activated carbon, produced from coconut shells, previously used in drinking water treatment. Results of performed thermogravimetric analysis, derivative thermogravimetric analysis, and differential thermal analysis, enabled a number of hypotheses to be made about different phases of activated carbon regeneration, values of characteristic parameters during particular process phases, as well as catalytic impact of inorganic materials on development of regeneration process. Samples of activated carbon were heated up to 1000°C in thermogravimetric analyser while maintaining adequate oxidizing or reducing conditions. Based on diagrams of thermal analysis for samples of spent activated carbon, temperature intervals of the first intense mass change phase (180-215°C, maximum of exothermic processes (400-450°C, beginning of the second intense mass change phase (635-700°C, and maximum endothermic processes (800-815°C were deter-mined. Analysing and comparing the diagrams of thermal analysis for new, previously regenerated and spent activated carbon, hypothesis about physical and chemical transformations of organic and inorganic adsorbate in spent activated carbon are given. Transformation of an organic adsorbate in the pores of activated carbon, results in loss of mass and an exothermic reaction with oxygen in the vapour phase. The reactions of inorganic adsorbate also result the loss of mass of activated carbon during its heating and endothermic reactions of their degradation at high temperatures.

  9. Role of nitrogen in pore development in activated carbon prepared by potassium carbonate activation of lignin

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tsubouchi, Naoto, E-mail: tsubon@eng.hokudai.ac.jp; Nishio, Megumi; Mochizuki, Yuuki

    2016-05-15

    Highlights: • Activated carbon prepared from a lignin/urea/K{sub 2}CO{sub 3} mixture provides a high specific surface area and a large pore volume. • Part of the urea nitrogen present in the mixture is retained as heterocyclic nitrogen in the solid phase after activation/carbonization. • Pore development is thought to proceed through interactions between K-species and C–N forms. - Abstract: The present work focuses on the role of nitrogen in the development of pores in activated carbon produced from lignin by K{sub 2}CO{sub 3} activation, employing a fixed bed reactor under a high-purity He stream at temperatures of 500–900 °C. The specific surface area and pore volume obtained by activation of lignin alone are 230 m{sup 2}/g and 0.13 cm{sup 3}/g at 800 °C, and 540 m{sup 2}/g and 0.31 cm{sup 3}/g at 900 °C, respectively. Activation of a mixture of lignin and urea provides a significant increase in the surface area and volume, respectively reaching 3300–3400 m{sup 2}/g and 2.0–2.3 cm{sup 3}/g after holding at 800–900 °C for 1 h. Heating a lignin/urea/K{sub 2}CO{sub 3} mixture leads to a significant decrease in the yield of released N-containing gases compared to the results for urea alone and a lignin/urea mixture, and most of the nitrogen in the urea is retained in the solid phase. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction analyses clearly show that part of the remaining nitrogen is present in heterocyclic structures (for example, pyridinic and pyrrolic nitrogen), and the rest is contained as KOCN at ≤600 °C and as KCN at ≥700 °C, such that the latter two compounds can be almost completely removed by water washing. The fate of nitrogen during heating of lignin/urea/K{sub 2}CO{sub 3} and role of nitrogen in pore development in activated carbon are discussed on the basis of the results mentioned above.

  10. Large-Area High-Performance Flexible Pressure Sensor with Carbon Nanotube Active Matrix for Electronic Skin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nela, Luca; Tang, Jianshi; Cao, Qing; Tulevski, George; Han, Shu-Jen

    2018-03-14

    Artificial "electronic skin" is of great interest for mimicking the functionality of human skin, such as tactile pressure sensing. Several important performance metrics include mechanical flexibility, operation voltage, sensitivity, and accuracy, as well as response speed. In this Letter, we demonstrate a large-area high-performance flexible pressure sensor built on an active matrix of 16 × 16 carbon nanotube thin-film transistors (CNT TFTs). Made from highly purified solution tubes, the active matrix exhibits superior flexible TFT performance with high mobility and large current density, along with a high device yield of nearly 99% over 4 inch sample area. The fully integrated flexible pressure sensor operates within a small voltage range of 3 V and shows superb performance featuring high spatial resolution of 4 mm, faster response than human skin (<30 ms), and excellent accuracy in sensing complex objects on both flat and curved surfaces. This work may pave the road for future integration of high-performance electronic skin in smart robotics and prosthetic solutions.

  11. Effect of Heat Treatment on the Surface Properties of Activated Carbons

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Meriem Belhachemi

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available This work reports the effect of heat treatment on the porosity and surface chemistry of two series of activated carbons prepared from a local agricultural biomass material, date pits, by physical activation with carbon dioxide and steam. Both series samples were oxidized with nitric acid and subsequently heat treated under N2 at 973 K in order to study the effect of these treatments in porosity and surface functional groups of activated carbons. When the activated carbons were heat treated after oxidation the surface area and the pore volume increase for both activated carbons prepared by CO2 and steam activations. However the amount of surface oxygen complexes decreases, the samples keep the most stable oxygen surface groups evolved as CO by temperature-programmed desorption experiments at high temperature. The results show that date pits can be used as precursors to produce activated carbons with a well developed porosity and tailored oxygen surface groups.

  12. Fixation Of Mo In Uranium Leach Liquor By Activated Carbon

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mainar, S.; Guswita, A.; Erni, R.A.; Susilaningtyas

    1996-01-01

    The use of activated carbon for Mo fixation by bulk system is reported. Several factors influencing the fixation process were examined, including contact time, carbon particle size, carbon porosity and the effect of other elements present in Mo containing solutions. Experimental data showed that an adsorption equilibrium of Mo on of activated carbon and 0,85 to 1,18 mm of carbon particle size under forced-convection mass transfer in 100 ml solution that contains + 0,56 m mol of Mo and +. 0,25 m mol Of U was reached after 6 hours period. Under those conditions, about 0,50 m mol of Mo and 0,026 m mol of U were adsorbed into carbon. High concentration of rare earth elements decreased Mo adsorption, hence, the use of activated carbon was not effective to separate Mo from the digestion liquor of Rirang are where Mo was adsorbed, into the carbon + 34,5 %

  13. Surface modification, characterization and adsorptive properties of a coconut activated carbon

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lu Xincheng [Institute of Chemical Industry of Forest Products, CAF, National Engineering Lab. for Biomass Chemical Utilization, Key and Open Lab. of Forest Chemical Engineering, SFA, Key Lab. of Biomass Energy and Material, Jiangsu Province, Suojin wucun 16, Nanjing 210042 (China); Jiang Jianchun, E-mail: lhs_ac2011@yahoo.cn [Institute of Chemical Industry of Forest Products, CAF, National Engineering Lab. for Biomass Chemical Utilization, Key and Open Lab. of Forest Chemical Engineering, SFA, Key Lab. of Biomass Energy and Material, Jiangsu Province, Suojin wucun 16, Nanjing 210042 (China); Sun Kang; Xie Xinping; Hu Yiming [Institute of Chemical Industry of Forest Products, CAF, National Engineering Lab. for Biomass Chemical Utilization, Key and Open Lab. of Forest Chemical Engineering, SFA, Key Lab. of Biomass Energy and Material, Jiangsu Province, Suojin wucun 16, Nanjing 210042 (China)

    2012-08-01

    A coconut activated carbon was modified using chemical methods. Different concentration of nitric acid oxidation of the conventional sample produced samples with weakly acidic functional groups. The oxidized samples were characterized by scanning electron micrograph, nitrogen absorption-desorption, Fourier transform infra red spectroscopy, Bothem method, pH titration, adsorption capacity of sodium and formaldehyde, and the adsorption mechanism of activated carbons was investigated. The results showed that BET surface area and pore volume of activated carbons were decreased after oxidization process, while acidic functional groups were increased. The surface morphology of oxidized carbons looked clean and eroded which was caused by oxidization of nitric acid. The oxidized carbons showed high adsorption capacity of sodium and formaldehyde, and chemical properties of activated carbon played an important role in adsorption of metal ions and organic pollutants.

  14. Activated carbon from thermo-compressed wood and other lignocellulosic precursors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Capart, R.

    2007-05-01

    Full Text Available The effects of thermo-compression on the physical properties such as bulk density, mass yield, surface area, and also adsorption capacity of activated carbon were studied. The activated carbon samples were prepared from thermo-compressed and virgin fir-wood by two methods, a physical activation with CO2 and a chemical activation with KOH. A preliminary thermo-compression method seems an easy way to confer to a tender wood a bulk density almost three times larger than its initial density. Thermo-compression increased yield regardless of the mode of activation. The physical activation caused structural alteration, which enhanced the enlargement of micropores and even their degradation, leading to the formation of mesopores. Chemical activation conferred to activated carbon a heterogeneous and exclusively microporous nature. Moreover, when coupled to chemical activation, thermo-compression resulted in a satisfactory yield (23%, a high surface area (>1700 m2.g-1, and a good adsorption capacity for two model pollutants in aqueous solution: methylene blue and phenol. Activated carbon prepared from thermo-compressed wood exhibited a higher adsorption capacity for both the pollutants than did a commercial activated carbon.

  15. TESTING GUIDELINES FOR TECHNETIUM-99 ADSORPTION ON ACTIVATED CARBON

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Byrnes, M.E.

    2010-01-01

    CH2M HILL Plateau Remediation Company (CHPRC) is currently evaluating the potential use of activated carbon adsorption for removing technetium-99 from groundwater as a treatment method for the Hanford Site's 200 West Area groundwater pump-and-treat system. The current pump-and-treat system design will include an ion-exchange (IX) system for selective removal of technetium-99 from selected wells prior to subsequent treatment of the water in the central treatment system. The IX resin selected for technetium-99 removal is Purolite A530E. The resin service life is estimated to be approximately 66.85 days at the design technetium-99 loading rate, and the spent resin must be replaced because it cannot be regenerated. The resulting operating costs associated with resin replacement every 66.85 days are estimated at $0.98 million/year. Activated carbon pre-treatment is being evaluated as a potential cost-saving measure to offset the high operating costs associated with frequent IX resin replacement. This document is preceded by the Literature Survey of Technetium-99 Groundwater Pre-Treatment Option Using Granular Activated Carbon (SGW-43928), which identified and evaluated prior research related to technetium-99 adsorption on activated carbon. The survey also evaluated potential operating considerations for this treatment approach for the 200 West Area. The preliminary conclusions of the literature survey are as follows: (1) Activated carbon can be used to selectively remove technetium-99 from contaminated groundwater. (2) Technetium-99 adsorption onto activated carbon is expected to vary significantly based on carbon types and operating conditions. For the treatment approach to be viable at the Hanford Site, activated carbon must be capable of achieving a designated minimum technetium-99 uptake. (3) Certain radionuclides known to be present in 200 West Area groundwater are also likely to adsorb onto activated carbon. (4) Organic solvent contaminants of concern (COCs) will

  16. TESTING GUIDELINES FOR TECHNETIUM-99 ABSORPTION ON ACTIVATED CARBON

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    BYRNES ME

    2010-09-08

    CH2M HILL Plateau Remediation Company (CHPRC) is currently evaluating the potential use of activated carbon adsorption for removing technetium-99 from groundwater as a treatment method for the Hanford Site's 200 West Area groundwater pump-and-treat system. The current pump-and-treat system design will include an ion-exchange (IX) system for selective removal of technetium-99 from selected wells prior to subsequent treatment of the water in the central treatment system. The IX resin selected for technetium-99 removal is Purolite A530E. The resin service life is estimated to be approximately 66.85 days at the design technetium-99 loading rate, and the spent resin must be replaced because it cannot be regenerated. The resulting operating costs associated with resin replacement every 66.85 days are estimated at $0.98 million/year. Activated carbon pre-treatment is being evaluated as a potential cost-saving measure to offset the high operating costs associated with frequent IX resin replacement. This document is preceded by the Literature Survey of Technetium-99 Groundwater Pre-Treatment Option Using Granular Activated Carbon (SGW-43928), which identified and evaluated prior research related to technetium-99 adsorption on activated carbon. The survey also evaluated potential operating considerations for this treatment approach for the 200 West Area. The preliminary conclusions of the literature survey are as follows: (1) Activated carbon can be used to selectively remove technetium-99 from contaminated groundwater. (2) Technetium-99 adsorption onto activated carbon is expected to vary significantly based on carbon types and operating conditions. For the treatment approach to be viable at the Hanford Site, activated carbon must be capable of achieving a designated minimum technetium-99 uptake. (3) Certain radionuclides known to be present in 200 West Area groundwater are also likely to adsorb onto activated carbon. (4) Organic solvent contaminants of concern (COCs

  17. Activated carbon derived from waste coffee grounds for stable methane storage

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kemp, K Christian; Baek, Seung Bin; Lee, Wang-Geun; Kim, Kwang S; Meyyappan, M

    2015-01-01

    An activated carbon material derived from waste coffee grounds is shown to be an effective and stable medium for methane storage. The sample activated at 900 °C displays a surface area of 1040.3 m"2 g"−"1 and a micropore volume of 0.574 cm"3 g"−"1 and exhibits a stable CH_4 adsorption capacity of ∼4.2 mmol g"−"1 at 3.0 MPa and a temperature range of 298 ± 10 K. The same material exhibits an impressive hydrogen storage capacity of 1.75 wt% as well at 77 K and 100 kPa. Here, we also propose a mechanism for the formation of activated carbon from spent coffee grounds. At low temperatures, the material has two distinct types with low and high surface areas; however, activation at elevated temperatures drives off the low surface area carbon, leaving behind the porous high surface area activated carbon. (paper)

  18. Activated carbon/manganese dioxide hybrid electrodes for high performance thin film supercapacitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jang, Yunseok; Jo, Jeongdai; Jang, Hyunjung; Kim, Inyoung; Kang, Dongwoo; Kim, Kwang-Young

    2014-06-01

    We combine the activated carbon (AC) and the manganese dioxide (MnO2) in a AC/MnO2 hybrid electrode to overcome the low capacitance of activated carbon and MnO2 by exploiting the large surface area of AC and the fast reversible redox reaction of MnO2. An aqueous permanganate (MnO4 -) is converted to MnO2 on the surface of the AC electrode by dipping the AC electrode into an aqueous permanganate solution. The AC/MnO2 hybrid electrode is found to display superior specific capacitance of 290 F/g. This shows that supercapacitors classified as electric double layer capacitors and pseudocapacitors can be combined together.

  19. High electrochemical capacitor performance of oxygen and nitrogen enriched activated carbon derived from the pyrolysis and activation of squid gladius chitin

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raj, C. Justin; Rajesh, Murugesan; Manikandan, Ramu; Yu, Kook Hyun; Anusha, J. R.; Ahn, Jun Hwan; Kim, Dong-Won; Park, Sang Yeup; Kim, Byung Chul

    2018-05-01

    Activated carbon containing nitrogen functionalities exhibits excellent electrochemical property which is more interesting for several renewable energy storage and catalytic applications. Here, we report the synthesis of microporous oxygen and nitrogen doped activated carbon utilizing chitin from the gladius of squid fish. The activated carbon has large surface area of 1129 m2 g-1 with microporous network and possess ∼4.04% of nitrogen content in the form of pyridinic/pyrrolic-N, graphitic-N and N-oxide groups along with oxygen and carbon species. The microporous oxygen/nitrogen doped activated carbon is utilize for the fabrication of aqueous and flexible supercapacitor electrodes, which presents excellent electrochemical performance with maximum specific capacitance of 204 Fg-1 in 1 M H2SO4 electrolyte and 197 Fg-1 as a flexible supercapacitor. Moreover, the device displays 100% of specific capacitance retention after 25,000 subsequent charge/discharge cycles in 1 M H2SO4 electrolyte.

  20. Activated carbon derived from marine Posidonia Oceanica for electric energy storage

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    N. Boukmouche

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, the synthesis and characterization of activated carbon from marine Posidonia Oceanica were studied. The activated carbon was prepared by a simple process namely pyrolysis under inert atmosphere. The activated carbon can be used as electrodes for supercapacitor devices. X-ray diffraction result revealed a polycrystalline graphitic structure. While scanning electron microscope investigation showed a layered structure with micropores. The EDS analysis showed that the activated carbon contains the carbon element in high atomic percentage. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy revealed a capacitive behavior (electrostatic phenomena. The specific capacity per unit area of the electrochemical double layer of activated carbon electrode in sulfuric acid electrolyte was 3.16 F cm−2. Cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic chronopotentiometry demonstrated that the electrode has excellent electrochemical reversibility. It has been found that the surface capacitance was strongly related to the specific surface area and pore size.

  1. Enhancing anaerobic digestion of poultry blood using activated carbon

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria José Cuetos

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available The potential of using anaerobic digestion for the treatment of poultry blood has been evaluated in batch assays at the laboratory scale and in a mesophilic semi-continuous reactor. The biodegradability test performed on residual poultry blood was carried out in spite of high inhibitory levels of acid intermediaries. The use of activated carbon as a way to prevent inhibitory conditions demonstrated the feasibility of attaining anaerobic digestion under extreme ammonium and acid conditions. Batch assays with higher carbon content presented higher methane production rates, although the difference in the final cumulative biogas production was not as sharp. The digestion of residual blood was also studied under semi-continuous operation using granular and powdered activated carbon. The average specific methane production was 216 ± 12 mL CH4/g VS. This result was obtained in spite of a strong volatile fatty acid (VFA accumulation, reaching values around 6 g/L, along with high ammonium concentrations (in the range of 6–8 g/L. The use of powdered activated carbon resulted in a better assimilation of C3-C5 acid forms, indicating that an enhancement in syntrophic metabolism may have taken place. Thermal analysis and scanning electron microscopy (SEM were applied as analytical tools for measuring the presence of organic material in the final digestate and evidencing modifications on the carbon surface. The addition of activated carbon for the digestion of residual blood highly improved the digestion process. The adsorption capacity of ammonium, the protection this carrier may offer by limiting mass transfer of toxic compounds, and its capacity to act as a conductive material may explain the successful digestion of residual blood as the sole substrate.

  2. Highly selective and stable carbon dioxide uptake in polyindole-derived microporous carbon materials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saleh, Muhammad; Tiwari, Jitendra N; Kemp, K Christain; Yousuf, Muhammad; Kim, Kwang S

    2013-05-21

    Adsorption with solid sorbents is considered to be one of the most promising methods for the capture of carbon dioxide (CO₂) from power plant flue gases. In this study, microporous carbon materials used for CO₂ capture were synthesized by the chemical activation of polyindole nanofibers (PIF) at temperatures from 500 to 800 °C using KOH, which resulted in nitrogen (N)-doped carbon materials. The N-doped carbon materials were found to be microporous with an optimal adsorption pore size for CO₂ of 0.6 nm and a maximum (Brunauer-Emmett-Teller) BET surface area of 1185 m(2) g(-1). The PIF activated at 600 °C (PIF6) has a surface area of 527 m(2) g(-1) and a maximum CO₂ storage capacity of 3.2 mmol g(-1) at 25 °C and 1 bar. This high CO₂ uptake is attributed to its highly microporous character and optimum N content. Additionally, PIF6 material displays a high CO₂ uptake at low pressure (1.81 mmol g(-1) at 0.2 bar and 25 °C), which is the best low pressure CO₂ uptake reported for carbon-based materials. The adsorption capacity of this material remained remarkably stable even after 10 cycles. The isosteric heat of adsorption was calculated to be in the range of 42.7-24.1 kJ mol(-1). Besides the excellent CO₂ uptake and stability, PIF6 also exhibits high selectivity values for CO₂ over N₂, CH₄, and H₂ of 58.9, 12.3, and 101.1 at 25 °C, respectively, and these values are significantly higher than reported values.

  3. Carbon tetrachloride desorption from activated carbon

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jonas, L.A.; Sansone, E.B.

    1981-01-01

    Carbon tetrachloride was desorbed from a granular activated carbon subsequent to its adsorption under various vapor exposure periods. The varied conditions of exposure resulted in a range of partially saturated carbon beds which, when followed by a constant flow rate for desorption, generated different forms of the desorbing concentration versus time curve. A method of analyzing the desorption curves is presented which permits extraction of the various desorbing rates from the different desorption and to relate this to the time required for such regeneration. The Wheeler desorption kinetic equation was used to calculate the pseudo first order desorption rate constant for the carbon. The desorption rate constant was found to increase monotonically with increasing saturation of the bed, permitting the calculation of the maximum desorption rate constant for the carbon at 100% saturation. The Retentivity Index of the carbon, defined as the dimensionless ratio of the adsorption to the desorption rate constant, was found to be 681

  4. Characterization and organic electric-double-layer-capacitor application of KOH activated coal-tar-pitch-based carbons: Effect of carbonization temperature

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choi, Poo Reum; Lee, Eunji; Kwon, Soon Hyung; Jung, Ji Chul; Kim, Myung-Soo

    2015-12-01

    The present study reports the influence of pre-carbonization on the properties of KOH-activated coal tar pitch (CTP). The change of crystallinity and pore structure of pre-carbonized CTPs as well as their activated carbons (ACs) as function of pre-carbonization temperature are investigated. The crystallinity of pre-carbonized CTPs increases with increasing the carbonization temperature up to 600 °C, but a disorder occurs during the carbonization around 700 °C and an order happens gradually with increasing the carbonization temperatures in range of 800-1000 °C. The CTPs pre-carbonized at high temperatures are more difficult to be activated with KOH than those pre-carbonized at low temperatures due to the increase of micro-crystalline size and the decrease of surface functional groups. The micro-pores and meso-pores are well developed at around 1.0 nm and 2.4 nm, respectively, as the ACs are pre-carbonized at temperatures of 500-600 °C, exhibiting high specific capacitances as electrode materials for electric double layer capacitor (EDLC). Although the specific surface area (SSA) and pore volume of ACs pre-carbonized at temperatures of 900-1000 °C are extraordinary low (non-porous) as compared to those of AC pre-carbonized at 600 °C, their specific capacitances are comparable to each other. The large specific capacitances with low SSA ACs can be attributed to the structural change resulting from the electrochemical activation during the 1st charge above 2.0 V.

  5. High surface area mesoporous activated carbon-alginate beads for efficient removal of methylene blue.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nasrullah, Asma; Bhat, A H; Naeem, Abdul; Isa, Mohamed Hasnain; Danish, Mohammed

    2018-02-01

    High surface area mesoporous activated carbon-alginate (AC-alginate) beads were successfully synthesized by entrapping activated carbon powder derived from Mangosteen fruit peel into calcium-alginate beads for methylene blue (MB) removal from aqueous solution. The structure and surface characteristics of AC-alginate beads were analyzed using Fourier transform infra-red (FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and surface area analysis (S BET ), while thermal properties were tested using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The effect of AC-alginate dose, pH of solution, contact time, initial concentration of MB solution and temperature on MB removal was elucidated. The results showed that the maximum adsorption capacity of 230mg/g was achieved for 100mg/L of MB solution at pH 9.5 and temperature 25°C. Furthermore, the adsorption of MB on AC-alginate beads followed well pseudo-second order equation and equilibrium adsorption data were better fitted by the Freundlich isotherm model. The findings reveal the feasibility of AC-alginate beads composite to be used as a potential and low cost adsorbent for removal of cationic dyes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Influence of coal preoxidation on the porosity of the activated carbons with steam activation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhu, Yuwen; Gao, Jihui; Sun, Fei; Li, Yang; Wu, Shaohua; Qin, Yukun [Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin (China). School of Energy Science and Engineering

    2013-07-01

    Activated carbons have been prepared from a low ash content anthracite preoxidized in air to different degrees. Steam has been used as activating agent to prepare different burn-off samples. The preoxidation effect on the physico-chemical characteristics of the resulting chars and activated carbons were comparatively studied. The surface area and porosity of sample was studied by N{sub 2} adsorption at 77 0A0;K. The results show that introduced oxygen in coal structure had a great influence on the carbonization and subsequent activation process. The carbonization of oxidized coal exhibited a broader volatile evolution with respect to temperature, and the resulting chars had a larger microporosity. The porosity of the char is a primary foundation to develop more microporosity upon activation. Activation of char from oxidized coal facilitated development of small scale micropore, however, the micropore widening was also observed at high burn-offs. Compared with development of supermicropore, the evolution of mesoporosity is hindered strongly by preoxidation treatment. The quantity of basic surface sites in activated carbons increased with an increase in oxidation degree, while the quantity of acidic sites appeared equivalent. It seemed that the amount of surface groups and the microporosity mainly developed in a parallel way.

  7. Adsorption characteristics of activated carbon hollow fibers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    B. V. Kaludjerović

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Carbon hollow fibers were prepared with regenerated cellulose or polysulfone hollow fibers by chemical activation using sodium phosphate dibasic followed by the carbonization process. The activation process increases the adsorption properties of fibers which is more prominent for active carbone fibers obtained from the cellulose precursor. Chemical activation with sodium phosphate dibasic produces an active carbon material with both mesopores and micropores.

  8. Highly active carbon supported Pd cathode catalysts for direct formic acid fuel cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mikolajczuk-Zychora, A.; Borodzinski, A.; Kedzierzawski, P.; Mierzwa, B.; Mazurkiewicz-Pawlicka, M.; Stobinski, L.; Ciecierska, E.; Zimoch, A.; Opałło, M.

    2016-12-01

    One of the drawbacks of low-temperature fuel cells is high price of platinum-based catalysts used for the electroreduction of oxygen at the cathode of the fuel cell. The aim of this work is to develop the palladium catalyst that will replace commonly used platinum cathode catalysts. A series of palladium catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) were prepared and tested on the cathode of Direct Formic Acid Fuel Cell (DFAFC). Palladium nanoparticles were deposited on the carbon black (Vulcan) and on multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) surface by reduction of palladium(II) acetate dissolved in ethanol. Hydrazine was used as a reducing agent. The effect of functionalization of the carbon supports on the catalysts physicochemical properties and the ORR catalytic activity on the cathode of DFAFC was studied. The supports were functionalized by treatment in nitric acid for 4 h at 80 °C. The structure of the prepared catalysts has been characterized by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscope (TEM) and cyclic voltammetry (CV). Hydrophilicity of the catalytic layers was determined by measuring contact angles of water droplets. The performance of the prepared catalysts has been compared with that of the commercial 20 wt.% Pt/C (Premetek) catalyst. The maximum power density obtained for the best palladium catalyst, deposited on the surface of functionalized carbon black, is the same as that for the commercial Pt/C (Premetek). Palladium is cheaper than platinum, therefore the developed cathode catalyst is promising for future applications.

  9. Photocatalytic Activity and Characterization of Carbon-Modified Titania for Visible-Light-Active Photodegradation of Nitrogen Oxides

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chun-Hung Huang

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available A variety of carbon-modified titania powders were prepared by impregnation method using a commercial available titania powder, Hombikat UV100, as matrix material while a range of alcohols from propanol to hexanol were used as precursors of carbon sources. Rising the carbon number of alcoholic precursor molecule, the modified titania showed increasing visible activities of NOx photodegradation. The catalyst modified with cyclohexanol exhibited the best activities of 62%, 62%, 59%, and 54% for the total NOx removal under UV, blue, green, and red light irradiation, respectively. The high activity with long wavelength irradiation suggested a good capability of photocatalysis in full visible light spectrum. Analysis of UV-visible spectrum indicated that carbon modification promoted visible light absorption and red shift in band gap. XPS spectroscopic analysis identified the existence of carbonate species (C=O, which increased with the increasing carbon number of precursor molecule. Photoluminescence spectra demonstrated that the carbonate species suppressed the recombination rate of electron-hole pair. As a result, a mechanism of visible-light-active photocatalyst was proposed according to the formation of carbonate species on carbon-modified TiO2.

  10. Determination of Activated Carbon Residual Life using a Microwave Cavity Resonator

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mason, A; Wylie, S; Shaw, A; Al-Shamma'a, A I; Thomas, A; Keele, H

    2011-01-01

    This paper presents the continuation of work conducted jointly between Dstl and LJMU. This unique body of work has been, largely, concerned with detecting the residual life of high performance filter materials using electromagnetic (EM) waves within a resonant cavity. Past work has considered both HEPA [1] and ASZM-TEDA[2] activated carbon filter materials. This paper continues the later work, considering the response of ASZM-TEDA activated carbon through the co-ageing of two distinct batches of the material. The paper briefly introduces activated carbon, discusses theory relevant to the work and the methodology used for investigation. A comprehensive set of results is included which seek to validate this technique for determining the residual lifespan of activated carbon.

  11. Structural and adsorptive properties of activated carbons prepared by carbonization and activation of resins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leboda, R; Skubiszewska-Zieba, J; Tomaszewski, W; Gun'ko, V M

    2003-07-15

    Four activated carbons (S1-S4) possessing different structural characteristics were prepared by carbonization of commercial resins (used for ion exchange) and subsequent activation. Their textural parameters were determined on the basis of nitrogen adsorption-desorption at 77.4 K, analyzed by applying several local and overall adsorption isotherm equations. The nature of carbon surface functionalities was analyzed by FTIR spectroscopy. The GC and solid-phase extraction (SPE) techniques were applied to study the influence of the texture of carbonaceous materials on their adsorptive properties. The adsorption efficiency of synthesized carbons with respect to alkylhalides used as probe compounds in the GC measurements varied over a range from 28% (C(2)H(3)Cl(3)/S2) to 85% (CHBr(3)/S1) depending on the type of adsorbates and adsorbents. The concentrating efficiency of these carbons in SPE of explosive materials changed over a larger range from 12% (trinitroglycerin/S4) and 13% (trinitrotoluene/S2) up to 100% (octogen/S1). Active carbon prepared using Zerolite 225x8 as a precursor demonstrated better results than other carbons in two types of adsorption with average values of the efficiency of 75.4% for explosives and 60.8% for alkylhalides.

  12. Porous carbon derived via KOH activation of a hypercrosslinked porous organic polymer for efficient CO_2, CH_4, H_2 adsorptions and high CO_2/N_2 selectivity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Modak, Arindam; Bhaumik, Asim

    2015-01-01

    Microporous carbon having Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area of 2186 m"2 g"−"1 and micropore volume of 0.85 cm"3 g"−"1 has been synthesized via KOH induced high temperature carbonization of a non-conjugated hypercrosslinked organic polymer. Owing to the templating and activation by KOH, we have succeeded in making a microporous carbon from this porous polymer and the resultant carbon material showed high uptake for CO_2 (7.6 mmol g"−"1) and CH_4 (2.4 mmol g"−"1) at 1 atm, 273 K together with very good selectivity for the CO_2/N_2 (30.2) separation. Furthermore, low pressure (1 atm) H_2 (2.6 wt%, 77 K) and water uptake (57.4 wt%, 298 K) ability of this polymer derived porous activated carbon is noteworthy. - Graphical abstract: Microporous carbon with BET surface area of 2186 m"2 g"−"1 has been synthesized via KOH activation of a porous organic polymer and it showed high uptake for CO_2 (7.6 mmol g"−"1), CH_4 (2.4 mmol g"−"1) and H_2 (2.6 wt%) at 1 atm together with very good selectivity for CO_2. - Highlights: • Porous carbon from hypercrosslinked organic polymer. • KOH activated carbon with BET surface area 2186 m"2 g"−"1. • High CO2 uptake (7.6 mmol g"−"1) and CO_2/N_2 selectivity (30.2). • Porous carbon also showed high H_2 (2.6 wt%) and H_2O (57.4 wt%) uptakes.

  13. Ammonia modification of activated carbon to enhance carbon dioxide adsorption: Effect of pre-oxidation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shafeeyan, Mohammad Saleh; Daud, Wan Mohd Ashri Wan; Houshmand, Amirhossein; Arami-Niya, Arash

    2011-02-01

    A commercial granular activated carbon (GAC) was subjected to thermal treatment with ammonia for obtaining an efficient carbon dioxide (CO2) adsorbent. In general, CO2 adsorption capacity of activated carbon can be increased by introduction of basic nitrogen functionalities onto the carbon surface. In this work, the effect of oxygen surface groups before introduction of basic nitrogen functionalities to the carbon surface on CO2 adsorption capacity was investigated. For this purpose two different approaches of ammonia treatment without preliminary oxidation and amination of oxidized samples were studied. Modified carbons were characterized by elemental analysis and Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) to study the impact of changes in surface chemistry and formation of specific surface groups on adsorption properties. The texture of the samples was characterized by conducting N2 adsorption/desorption at -196 °C. CO2 capture performance of the samples was investigated using a thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). It was found that in both modification techniques, the presence of nitrogen functionalities on carbon surface generally increased the CO2 adsorption capacity. The results indicated that oxidation followed by high temperature ammonia treatment (800 °C) considerably enhanced the CO2 uptake at higher temperatures.

  14. Study on regeneration effect and mechanism of high-frequency ultrasound on biological activated carbon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Zhehao; Liu, Cheng; Cao, Zhen; Chen, Wei

    2018-06-01

    High frequency ultrasonic radiation technology was developed as a novel and efficient means of regenerating spent biological activated carbon (BAC) used in drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs). The results of this study indicated that high frequency ultrasonic treatment could recover the spent BAC, to some extent, with the following optimal conditions: a frequency of 400 kHz, sonication power of 60 W, water temperature of 30 °C, and sonication time of 6 min. Under the above conditions, the iodine value increased from 300 mg/g to 409 mg/g, the volume of total pores and micropores increased from 0.2600 cm 3 /g and 0.1779 cm 3 /g to 0.3560 cm 3 /g and 0.2662 cm 3 /g, respectively; the specific surface area of micropores and the mean pore diameter expanded from 361.15 m 2 /g and 2.0975 nm to 449.92 m 2 /g and 2.1268 nm, respectively. The biological activity increased from 0.0297 mgO 2 /gC·h to 0.0521 mgO 2 /gC·h, while the biomass decreased from 203 nmolP/gC to 180 nmolP/gC. The results of high throughput 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing showed that microorganisms such as Clostridia and Nitrospira were markedly decreased due to high frequency ultrasound. The method used in this study caused the inhibition of certain carbon-attached microbials resulting in a negative effect on the removal rate of ammonia-N during the initial stage of the long-term reuse operation. The removal of UV254 and atrazine were restored from 8.1% and 55% to 21% and 76%, respectively. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Porous structure and surface chemistry of phosphoric acid activated carbon from corncob

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sych, N.V.; Trofymenko, S.I.; Poddubnaya, O.I.; Tsyba, M.M.; Sapsay, V.I.; Klymchuk, D.O.; Puziy, A.M.

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► Phosphoric acid activation results in formation of carbons with acidic surface groups. ► Maximum amount of surface groups is introduced at impregnation ratio 1.25. ► Phosphoric acid activated carbons show high capacity to copper. ► Phosphoric acid activated carbons are predominantly microporous. ► Maximum surface area and pore volume achieved at impregnation ratio 1.0. - Abstract: Active carbons have been prepared from corncob using chemical activation with phosphoric acid at 400 °C using varied ratio of impregnation (RI). Porous structure of carbons was characterized by nitrogen adsorption and scanning electron microscopy. Surface chemistry was studied by IR and potentiometric titration method. It has been shown that porosity development was peaked at RI = 1.0 (S BET = 2081 m 2 /g, V tot = 1.1 cm 3 /g), while maximum amount of acid surface groups was observed at RI = 1.25. Acid surface groups of phosphoric acid activated carbons from corncob includes phosphate and strongly acidic carboxylic (pK = 2.0–2.6), weakly acidic carboxylic (pK = 4.7–5.0), enol/lactone (pK = 6.7–7.4; 8.8–9.4) and phenol (pK = 10.1–10.7). Corncob derived carbons showed high adsorption capacity to copper, especially at low pH. Maximum adsorption of methylene blue and iodine was observed for carbon with most developed porosity (RI = 1.0).

  16. Porous structure and surface chemistry of phosphoric acid activated carbon from corncob

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sych, N.V.; Trofymenko, S.I.; Poddubnaya, O.I.; Tsyba, M.M. [Institute for Sorption and Endoecology Problems, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 13 General Naumov St., 03164 Kyiv (Ukraine); Sapsay, V.I.; Klymchuk, D.O. [M.G. Kholodny Institute of Botany, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 2 Tereshchenkivska St., 01601 Kyiv (Ukraine); Puziy, A.M., E-mail: alexander.puziy@ispe.kiev.ua [Institute for Sorption and Endoecology Problems, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 13 General Naumov St., 03164 Kyiv (Ukraine)

    2012-11-15

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Phosphoric acid activation results in formation of carbons with acidic surface groups. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Maximum amount of surface groups is introduced at impregnation ratio 1.25. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Phosphoric acid activated carbons show high capacity to copper. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Phosphoric acid activated carbons are predominantly microporous. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Maximum surface area and pore volume achieved at impregnation ratio 1.0. - Abstract: Active carbons have been prepared from corncob using chemical activation with phosphoric acid at 400 Degree-Sign C using varied ratio of impregnation (RI). Porous structure of carbons was characterized by nitrogen adsorption and scanning electron microscopy. Surface chemistry was studied by IR and potentiometric titration method. It has been shown that porosity development was peaked at RI = 1.0 (S{sub BET} = 2081 m{sup 2}/g, V{sub tot} = 1.1 cm{sup 3}/g), while maximum amount of acid surface groups was observed at RI = 1.25. Acid surface groups of phosphoric acid activated carbons from corncob includes phosphate and strongly acidic carboxylic (pK = 2.0-2.6), weakly acidic carboxylic (pK = 4.7-5.0), enol/lactone (pK = 6.7-7.4; 8.8-9.4) and phenol (pK = 10.1-10.7). Corncob derived carbons showed high adsorption capacity to copper, especially at low pH. Maximum adsorption of methylene blue and iodine was observed for carbon with most developed porosity (RI = 1.0).

  17. A high performance lithium ion capacitor achieved by the integration of a Sn-C anode and a biomass-derived microporous activated carbon cathode.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Fei; Gao, Jihui; Zhu, Yuwen; Pi, Xinxin; Wang, Lijie; Liu, Xin; Qin, Yukun

    2017-02-03

    Hybridizing battery and capacitor materials to construct lithium ion capacitors (LICs) has been regarded as a promising avenue to bridge the gap between high-energy lithium ion batteries and high-power supercapacitors. One of the key difficulties in developing advanced LICs is the imbalance in the power capability and charge storage capacity between anode and cathode. Herein, we design a new LIC system by integrating a rationally designed Sn-C anode with a biomass-derived activated carbon cathode. The Sn-C nanocomposite obtained by a facile confined growth strategy possesses multiple structural merits including well-confined Sn nanoparticles, homogeneous distribution and interconnected carbon framework with ultra-high N doping level, synergically enabling the fabricated anode with high Li storage capacity and excellent rate capability. A new type of biomass-derived activated carbon featuring both high surface area and high carbon purity is also prepared to achieve high capacity for cathode. The assembled LIC (Sn-C//PAC) device delivers high energy densities of 195.7 Wh kg -1 and 84.6 Wh kg -1 at power densities of 731.25 W kg -1 and 24375 W kg -1 , respectively. This work offers a new strategy for designing high-performance hybrid system by tailoring the nanostructures of Li insertion anode and ion adsorption cathode.

  18. Composite supercapacitor electrodes made of activated carbon ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    carbon/PEDOT:PSS and activated carbon/doped PEDOT. T S SONIA, P A MINI, ... polymeric anodes for organic photovoltaics, light-emitting diodes (Pingree et al ... looked upon are carbon nanotubes (CNTs), graphene and activated carbon.

  19. Adsorption of aqueous Cd(II) and Pb(II) on activated carbon nanopores prepared by chemical activation of doum palm shell.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gaya, Umar Ibrahim; Otene, Emmanuel; Abdullah, Abdul Halim

    2015-01-01

    Non-uniformly sized activated carbons were derived from doum palm shell, a new precursor, by carbonization in air and activation using KOH, NaOH and ZnCl2. The activated carbon fibres were characterised by X-ray diffraction, N2 adsorption-desorption, scanning electron microscopy, particle size analysis and evaluated for Cd(II) and Pb(II) removal. The 40-50 nm size, less graphitic, mesoporous NaOH activated carbon yielded high adsorption efficiency, pointing largely to the influence surface area. The performance of the KOH based activated carbon was arguably explained for the first time in terms of crystallinity. The efficiencies of the mesoporous ZnCl2-formulated activated carbon diminished due to the presence of larger particles. Batch adsorption of divalent metals revealed dependence on adsorbent dose, agitation time, pH and adsorbate concentrations with high adsorption efficiencies at optimum operating parameters. The equilibrium profiles fitted Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms, and kinetics favoured pseudo-second order model. The study demonstrated the practicability of the removal of alarming levels of cadmium and lead ions from industrial effluents.

  20. The determination of chromium in water samples by neutron activation analysis after preconcentration on activated carbon

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sloot, H.A. van der

    1977-01-01

    A method is presented for the determination of chromium in sea- and fresh water. Chromium is concentrated on activated carbon from a neutral solution after a previous reduction of chromate with sodium sulfite at pH 1.5. The adsorption conditions, acidity, concentrations, amount of carbon, stirring-time, sample-volume, salinity, the influence of storage on the ratio of tervalent to hexavalent chromium, were investigated. The final determination of the total chromium content is performed by instrumental neutron-activation analysis. By preconcentration on activated carbon, a differentiation between tervalent and hexavalent chromium is possible. A separate determination of both species is not yet feasible due to the high carbon blank and to the necessity of measuring the adsorption percentage on carbon. The lower limit of determination, which depends on the value of the carbon blank, is 0.05 μg Cr/l with a precision of 20%. The determination is hampered by the considerable blank from the carbon. The use of activated carbon prepared from recrystallized sugar will probably improve the lower limit of determination and possibly allow the determination of chromate. (T.G.)

  1. High-Performance Li-Ion Capacitor Based on an Activated Carbon Cathode and Well-Dispersed Ultrafine TiO2 Nanoparticles Embedded in Mesoporous Carbon Nanofibers Anode.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Cheng; Lan, Jin-Le; Liu, Wen-Xiao; Liu, Yuan; Yu, Yun-Hua; Yang, Xiao-Ping

    2017-06-07

    A novel Li-ion capacitor based on an activated carbon cathode and a well-dispersed ultrafine TiO 2 nanoparticles embedded in mesoporous carbon nanofibers (TiO 2 @PCNFs) anode was reported. A series of TiO 2 @PCNFs anode materials were prepared via a scalable electrospinning method followed by carbonization and a postetching method. The size of TiO 2 nanoparticles and the mesoporous structure of the TiO 2 @PCNFs were tuned by varying amounts of tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) to increase the energy density and power density of the LIC significantly. Such a subtle designed LIC displayed a high energy density of 67.4 Wh kg -1 at a power density of 75 W kg -1 . Meanwhile, even when the power density was increased to 5 kW kg -1 , the energy density can still maintain 27.5 Wh kg -1 . Moreover, the LIC displayed a high capacitance retention of 80.5% after 10000 cycles at 10 A g -1 . The outstanding electrochemical performance can be contributed to the synergistic effect of the well-dispersed ultrafine TiO 2 nanoparticles, the abundant mesoporous structure, and the conductive carbon networks.

  2. Converting biomass waste into microporous carbon with simultaneously high surface area and carbon purity as advanced electrochemical energy storage materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Fei; Wang, Lijie; Peng, Yiting; Gao, Jihui; Pi, Xinxin; Qu, Zhibin; Zhao, Guangbo; Qin, Yukun

    2018-04-01

    Developing carbon materials featuring both high accessible surface area and high structure stability are desirable to boost the performance of constructed electrochemical electrodes and devices. Herein, we report a new type of microporous carbon (MPC) derived from biomass waste based on a simple high-temperature chemical activation procedure. The optimized MPC-900 possesses microporous structure, high surface area, partially graphitic structure, and particularly low impurity content, which are critical features for enhancing carbon-based electrochemical process. The constructed MPC-900 symmetric supercapacitor exhibits high performances in commercial organic electrolyte such as widened voltage window up to 3 V and thereby high energy/power densities (50.95 Wh kg-1 at 0.44 kW kg-1; 25.3 Wh kg-1 at 21.5 kW kg-1). Furthermore, a simple melt infiltration method has been employed to enclose SnO2 nanocrystals onto the carbon matrix of MPC-900 as a high-performance lithium storage material. The obtained SnO2-MPC composite with ultrafine SnO2 nanocrystals delivers high capacities (1115 mAh g-1 at 0.2 A g-1; 402 mAh g-1 at 10 A g-1) and high-rate cycling lifespan of over 2000 cycles. This work not only develops a microporous carbon with high carbon purity and high surface area, but also provides a general platform for combining electrochemically active materials.

  3. Adsorption of aqueous Cd(II) and Pb(II) on activated carbon nanopores prepared by chemical activation of doum palm shell

    OpenAIRE

    Gaya, Umar Ibrahim; Otene, Emmanuel; Abdullah, Abdul Halim

    2015-01-01

    Non-uniformly sized activated carbons were derived from doum palm shell, a new precursor, by carbonization in air and activation using KOH, NaOH and ZnCl2. The activated carbon fibres were characterised by X-ray diffraction, N2 adsorption–desorption, scanning electron microscopy, particle size analysis and evaluated for Cd(II) and Pb(II) removal. The 40–50 nm size, less graphitic, mesoporous NaOH activated carbon yielded high adsorption efficiency, pointing largely to the influence surface ar...

  4. High-Melt Carbon-Carbon Coating for Nozzle Extensions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thompson, James

    2015-01-01

    Carbon-Carbon Advanced Technologies, Inc. (C-CAT), has developed a high-melt coating for use in nozzle extensions in next-generation spacecraft. The coating is composed primarily of carbon-carbon, a carbon-fiber and carbon-matrix composite material that has gained a spaceworthy reputation due to its ability to withstand ultrahigh temperatures. C-CAT's high-melt coating embeds hafnium carbide (HfC) and zirconium diboride (ZrB2) within the outer layers of a carbon-carbon structure. The coating demonstrated enhanced high-temperature durability and suffered no erosion during a test in NASA's Arc Jet Complex. (Test parameters: stagnation heat flux=198 BTD/sq ft-sec; pressure=.265 atm; temperature=3,100 F; four cycles totaling 28 minutes) In Phase I of the project, C-CAT successfully demonstrated large-scale manufacturability with a 40-inch cylinder representing the end of a nozzle extension and a 16-inch flanged cylinder representing the attach flange of a nozzle extension. These demonstrators were manufactured without spalling or delaminations. In Phase II, C-CAT worked with engine designers to develop a nozzle extension stub skirt interfaced with an Aerojet Rocketdyne RL10 engine. All objectives for Phase II were successfully met. Additional nonengine applications for the coating include thermal protection systems (TPS) for next-generation spacecraft and hypersonic aircraft.

  5. Oxygen- and nitrogen-co-doped activated carbon from waste particleboard for potential application in high-performance capacitance

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shang, Tong-Xin; Ren, Ru-Quan; Zhu, Yue-Mei; Jin, Xiao-Juan

    2015-01-01

    Graphical abstract: All electrodes showed excellent capacitance and retention versus discharge current density from 0.05 to 5 A/g. - Abstract: Oxygen- and nitrogen-co-doped activated carbons were obtained from phosphoric acid treated nitrogen-doped activated carbons which were prepared from waste particleboard bonded with urea-formaldehyde resin adhesives. The activated carbon samples obtained were tested as supercapacitors in two-electrode cell and extensive wetting 7 M KOH electrolytes. Their structural properties and surface chemistry, before the electrical testing, were investigated using elemental analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectra, and adsorption of nitrogen. Activated carbon treated by 4 M phosphoric acid of the highest capacitance (235 F/g) was measured in spite of a relatively lower surface (1360 m 2 /g) than that of the activated carbon treated by 2 M phosphoric acid (1433 m 2 /g). The surface chemistry, and especially oxygen- and nitrogen-containing functional groups, was found of paramount importance for the capacitive behavior and for the effective pore space utilization by the electrolyte ions

  6. Adsorptive removal of hydrophobic organic compounds by carbonaceous adsorbents: a comparative study of waste-polymer-based, coal-based activated carbon, and carbon nanotubes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lian, Fei; Chang, Chun; Du, Yang; Zhu, Lingyan; Xing, Baoshan; Liu, Chang

    2012-01-01

    Adsorption of the hydrophobic organic compounds (HOCs) trichloroethylene (TCE), 1,3-dichlorobenzene (DCB), 1,3-dinitrobenzene (DNB) and gamma-hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) on five different carbonaceous materials was compared. The adsorbents included three polymer-based activated carbons, one coal-based activated carbon (F400) and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNT). The polymer-based activated carbons were prepared using KOH activation from waste polymers: polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethyleneterephthalate (PET) and tire rubber (TR). Compared with F400 and MWNT, activated carbons derived from PVC and PET exhibited fast adsorption kinetics and high adsorption capacity toward the HOCs, attributed to their extremely large hydrophobic surface area (2700 m2/g) and highly mesoporous structures. Adsorption of small-sized TCE was stronger on the tire-rubber-based carbon and F400 resulting from the pore-filling effect. In contrast, due to the molecular sieving effect, their adsorption on HCH was lower. MWNT exhibited the lowest adsorption capacity toward HOCs because of its low surface area and characteristic of aggregating in aqueous solution.

  7. Adsorptive removal of hydrophobic organic compounds by carbonaceous adsorbents: A comparative study of waste-polymer-based,coal-based activated carbon, and carbon nanotubes

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Fei Lian; Chun Chang; Yang Du; Lingyan Zhu; Baoshan Xing; Chang Liu

    2012-01-01

    Adsorption of the hydrophobic organic compounds (HOCs) trichloroethylene (TCE),1,3-dichlorobenzene (DCB),1,3-dinitrobenzene (DNB) and γ-hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) on five different carbonaceous materials was compared.The adsorbents included three polymer-based activated carbons,one coal-based activated carbon (F400) and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNT).The polymerbased activated carbons were prepared using KOH activation from waste polymers:polyvinyl chloride (PVC),polyethyleneterephthalate (PET) and tire rubber (TR).Compared with F400 and MWNT,activated carbons derived from PVC and PET exhibited fast adsorption kinetics and high adsorption capacity toward the HOCs,attributed to their extremely large hydrophobic surface area (2700 m2/g) and highly mesoporous structures.Adsorption of small-sized TCE was stronger on the tire-rubber-based carbon and F400 resulting from the pore-filling effect.In contrast,due to the molecular sieving effect,their adsorption on HCH was lower.MWNT exhibited the lowest adsorption capacity toward HOCs because of its low surface area and characteristic of aggregating in aqueous solution.

  8. Biological activation of carbon filters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seredyńska-Sobecka, Bozena; Tomaszewska, Maria; Janus, Magdalena; Morawski, Antoni W

    2006-01-01

    To prepare biological activated carbon (BAC), raw surface water was circulated through granular activated carbon (GAC) beds. Biological activity of carbon filters was initiated after about 6 months of filter operation and was confirmed by two methods: measurement of the amount of biomass attached to the carbon and by the fluorescein diacetate (FDA) test. The effect of carbon pre-washing on WG-12 carbon properties was also studied. For this purpose, the nitrogen adsorption isotherms at 77K and Fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR) spectra analyses were performed. Moreover, iodine number, decolorizing power and adsorption properties of carbon in relation to phenol were studied. Analysis of the results revealed that after WG-12 carbon pre-washing its BET surface increased a little, the pH value of the carbon water extract decreased from 11.0 to 9.4, decolorizing power remained at the same level, and the iodine number and phenol adsorption rate increased. In preliminary studies of the ozonation-biofiltration process, a model phenol solution with concentration of approximately 10mg/l was applied. During the ozonation process a dose of 1.64 mg O(3)/mg TOC (total organic carbon) was employed and the contact time was 5 min. Four empty bed contact times (EBCTs) in the range of 2.4-24.0 min were used in the biofiltration experiment. The effectiveness of purification was measured by the following parameters: chemical oxygen demand (COD(Mn)), TOC, phenol concentration and UV(254)-absorbance. The parameters were found to decrease with EBCT.

  9. Preparation of highly porous binderless activated carbon electrodes from fibres of oil palm empty fruit bunches for application in supercapacitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farma, R; Deraman, M; Awitdrus, A; Talib, I A; Taer, E; Basri, N H; Manjunatha, J G; Ishak, M M; Dollah, B N M; Hashmi, S A

    2013-03-01

    Fibres from oil palm empty fruit bunches, generated in large quantities by palm oil mills, were processed into self-adhesive carbon grains (SACG). Untreated and KOH-treated SACG were converted without binder into green monolith prior to N2-carbonisation and CO2-activation to produce highly porous binderless carbon monolith electrodes for supercapacitor applications. Characterisation of the pore structure of the electrodes revealed a significant advantage from combining the chemical and physical activation processes. The electrochemical measurements of the supercapacitor cells fabricated using these electrodes, using cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and galvanostatic charge-discharge techniques consistently found that approximately 3h of activation time, achieved via a multi-step heating profile, produced electrodes with a high surface area of 1704m(2)g(-1) and a total pore volume of 0.889cm(3)g(-1), corresponding to high values for the specific capacitance, specific energy and specific power of 150Fg(-1), 4.297Whkg(-1) and 173Wkg(-1), respectively. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Applicability of Activated Carbon to Treatment of Waste Containing Iodine-Labeled Compounds

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gad, H.M.H.; El-Mouhty, N.R.A.; Aly, H.F.

    2008-01-01

    The applicability of activated carbon prepared from sawdust (SD) by one-step chemical activation process using H 3 PO 4 (H) to treatment of aqueous waste contaminated with iodine-labeled prolactin (I-PRL) has been investigated. Treatment processes were performed under the varying conditions; contact time, temperature, carbon type, carbon dosage, and different particle size of activated carbon (SDH). Effect of aqueous waste volume has been investigated to calculate the batch factor (V/M) and the distribution coefficient (K d ). The used activated carbon (SDH) was characterized by N 2 adsorption, FTIR, density, ph, point of zero charge ph p zc, moisture and ash content. Methylene blue (MB) and iodine number was calculated by adsorption from solution. In order to investigate the mechanism of sorption and potential rate controlling steps, pseudo first- and second-order equations, intra particle diffusion equation and the Elovich equation have been used to test experimental data. Kinetic analysis of the four models has been carried out for system variables in order to assess which model provides the best fit predicted data with experimental results. 7 M NaOH can be used for regeneration of spent SDH activated carbon with the efficiency of 99.6% and the regenerated carbon can be reused for five cycles effectively. The prospect of applying the SDH activated carbon prepared from agricultural by-product, sawdust, to treatment of aqueous waste contaminated with I-PRL appears promising and is considered highly applicable because of its high adsorption capacity, available at low cost, easily regenerated and reused

  11. Binder-less activated carbon electrode from gelam wood for use in supercapacitors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    IVANDINI A. TRIBIDASARI

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available This work focused on the relation between the porous structure of activated carbon and its capacitive properties. Three types of activated carbon monoliths were used as the electrodes in a half cell electrochemical system. One monolith was produced from activated carbon and considered to be a binder-less electrode. Two others were produced from acid and high pressure steam oxidized activated carbon. The micrographs clearly indicate that three electrodes have different porous structures. Both porosity and surface area of carbons increased due to the formation of grains during oxidation. This fact specified that an acid oxidized carbon monolith will have relatively higher capacitance compared to non-oxidized and steam oxidized monoliths. Maximum capacitance values for acid, steam oxidized and non-oxidized electrodes were 27.68, 2.23 and 1.20 F g-1, respectively.

  12. The Influence of the Activation Temperature on the Structural Properties of the Activated Carbon Xerogels and Their Electrochemical Performance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nguyen Khanh Nguyen Quach

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The effect of activation temperature on the structural properties and the electrochemical performance of KOH-activated carbon xerogel was investigated in range of 700 to 1000°C. At a high temperature (1000°C, the chemical activation regenerated a more crystalline network structure of activated carbon xerogels, which was observed by Raman, XRD, and TEM images. Additionally, SEM images, BET, BJH, and t-plot were used to study the structural properties of carbon xerogels. The carbon xerogel sample activated at 900°C was found with the most appropriate structure, which has the high micropore area and a more-balanced porosity between the micropores and mesopores, for using as an electrode material. The highest obtained specific capacitance value was 270 Fg−1 in 6 M KOH electrolyte at scan rate of 5 mVs−1 from the cyclic voltammetry.

  13. Determination of vanadium in high grade carbons by radioanalytical methods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jinno, K.; Sato, M.; Amemiya, S.; Katoh, T.

    1980-01-01

    The present work deals with the determination of vanadium in high grade carbons by three radioanalytical methods, viz. thermal neutron activation analysis with an accelerator, thermal neutron activation analysis with a reactor and proton induced X-ray emission analysis with an accelerator. It is shown that thermal neutron activation with an accelerator is more convenient for the rapid and non-destructive analysis of ppm-level vanadium in bulk carbons than thermal neutron activation analysis with a reactor. Proton-induced X-ray emission is less useful for the analysis of bulk samples. (author)

  14. Activated carbon for incinerator uses

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Che Seman Mahmood; Norhayati Alias; Mohd Puad Abu

    2002-01-01

    This paper reports the development of the activated carbon from palm oil kernel shell for use as absorbent and converter for incinerator gas. The procedure is developed in order to prepare the material in bulk quantity and be used in the incinerator. The effect of the use of activating chemicals, physical activation and the preparation parameter to the quality of the carbon products will be discussed. (Author)

  15. Biomass-derived nitrogen-doped porous carbons with tailored hierarchical porosity and high specific surface area for high energy and power density supercapacitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Junting; Niu, Jin; Liu, Mengyue; Ji, Jing; Dou, Meiling; Wang, Feng

    2018-01-01

    Porous carbon materials with hierarchical structures attract intense interest for the development of high-performance supercapacitors. Herein, we demonstrate a facile and efficient strategy to synthesize nitrogen-doped hierarchically porous carbons with tailored porous structure combined with high specific surface area (SSA), which involves a pre-carbonization and a subsequent carbonization combined with KOH activation of silkworm cocoon precursors. Through adjusting the mass ratio of the activator (KOH) to pre-carbonized precursor in the activation process, the hierarchically porous carbon prepared at the mass ratio of 2 (referred to as NHPC-2) possesses a high defect density and a high SSA of 3386 m2 g-1 as well as the relatively high volumetric proportion of mesopores and macropores (45.5%). As a result, the energy density and power density of the symmetric supercapacitor based on NHPC-2 electrode are as high as 34.41 Wh kg-1 and 31.25 kW kg-1 in organic-solvent electrolyte, and are further improved to 112.1 Wh kg-1 and 23.91 kW kg-1 in ionic-liquid electrolyte.

  16. Water Pollutants Adsorption through an Enhanced Activated Carbon Derived from Agriculture Waste

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mojtaba Fazeli

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Background & Aims of the Study: A high nitrate and arsenic concentration in water resources represent a potential risk to the environment and public health. The present work improved a chemo-physically modified activated carbon derived from walnut shells as an adsorbent to improve nitrate and arsenic removal ability from water. Materials & Methods: To increase removal efficiency, activated carbon surface characteristics were improved by acidification. Chemical activation was achieved when the carbon was mixed with water and 5% (v/v phosphoric acid. After adsorbent preparation, the contact time, pH and the initial concentration were studied as variables. Results:  The effective pH for adsorption onto activated carbon was 6.5. The results indicated that 70 s and 3 mins was the sufficient time to attain equilibrium for a maximum removal efficiency of 78.44% and 98% for nitrate and arsenic, respectively. The adsorption capacity of the adsorbent was 10.60 mg nitrate/g carbon and 120 μg arsenic/g carbon. Removal obeyed the Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Conclusion: The results showed a noticeable improvement in activated walnut-shell carbon absorbance (improvement in crystalline structure, chemical bonds, and morphology of micropores by chemo-physical activation. Chemo-physical activation increased the surface area of the adsorbent from 1067 to 1437 m2g‒1 and decreased the mean pore size from 3.28 to 2.08 nm. The characterization results showed the major reasons of adsorption could be structure, size and distributions of pores, high surface area and chemical bonds.

  17. One-Step Synthesis of Microporous Carbon Monoliths Derived from Biomass with High Nitrogen Doping Content for Highly Selective CO2 Capture

    OpenAIRE

    Geng, Zhen; Xiao, Qiangfeng; Lv, Hong; Li, Bing; Wu, Haobin; Lu, Yunfeng; Zhang, Cunman

    2016-01-01

    The one-step synthesis method of nitrogen doped microporous carbon monoliths derived from biomass with high-efficiency is developed using a novel ammonia (NH3)-assisted activation process, where NH3 serves as both activating agent and nitrogen source. Both pore forming and nitrogen doping simultaneously proceed during the process, obviously superior to conventional chemical activation. The as-prepared nitrogen-doped active carbons exhibit rich micropores with high surface area and high nitrog...

  18. Regeneration of used activated carbon by electron beam irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Arai, H.; Hosono, M.; Zhu, G.; Miyata, T.

    1992-01-01

    The adsorbing power of granular activated carbons which adsorbed sodium laurylsulfate were most effectively recovered by irradiation of high energy electron beams in nitrogen stream, and the carbon was hardly lost by irradiation. The regeneration was induced mainly by microscopic heating of adsorption sites. Regeneration was also confirmed by adsorption endotherms. Regeneration cost was tentatively evaluated. (author)

  19. Preparing activated carbon from charcoal and investigation of the selective uranium adsorption

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kuetahyali, C.; Eral, M.

    2001-01-01

    Preconcentration and separation procedures based on adsorption phenomena are important in nuclear and especially radiation chemistry, industry, medicine and daily life. Adsorption of uranium onto various solids is important from purification, environmental and radioactive waste disposal points of view . The treatment of aqueous nuclear waste solutions containing soluble metal ions requires concentration of the metal ions into smaller volume followed by recovery or secure disposal. For this purpose, many processes are being utilized such as precipitation, ion-exchange, solvent extraction and adsorption on solids etc. Interest in the adsorption of metal ions for recovery purposes has increased manyfold in recent years, because of its simplicity, selectivity and efficiency . The main advantage of adsorption is the separation of trace amount of elements from large volumes of solutions. In recent years, several studies have been made to recover radionuclides by adsorption using natural and synthetic adsorbents. Adsorption on charcoal is one of the most efficient techniques used in water treatment processes for the removal of organics and micropollutants from wastes and drinking waters. Adsorption processes have long been used in the removal of color, odor, and organic pollution. These processes are usually based on the use of activated carbon . Activated carbon consists mainly of carbon and is produced from every carbonaceous material. Activated carbon characterized by its high surface area and its wide distribution of porosity. The textural properties (surface area and porosity) of activated carbons play an important role in determining the capacity of the material in adsorption from aqueous solution. Chemistry of the surface is also important . Generally, activated carbons are mainly microporous, but in addition to micropores they contain meso- and macropores, which are very important in facilitating acces of the adsorbate molecules to the interior of carbon particles

  20. Activated carbon as a pseudo-reference electrode for electrochemical measurement inside concrete

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Abbas, Yawar; Olthuis, Wouter; van den Berg, Albert

    2015-01-01

    The application of Kynol based activated carbon (KAC) as a pseudo-reference electrode for potentiometric measurement inside concrete is presented. Due to its high surface area the activated carbons has a large electrical double layer capacitance (EDLC > 50 F g(-1)) and are used as electrode material

  1. Efficiency of moso bamboo charcoal and activated carbon for adsorbing radioactive iodine

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chien, Chuan-Chi; Huang, Ying-Pin; Wang, Wie-Chieh [ITRI South, Industrial Technology Research Institute, Tainan (China); Chao, Jun-Hsing; Wei, Yuan-Yao [Nuclear Science and Technology Development Center, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu (China)

    2011-02-15

    Preventing radioactive pollution is a troublesome problem but an urgent concern worldwide because radioactive substances cause serious health-related hazards to human being. The adsorption method has been used for many years to concentrate and remove radioactive pollutants; selecting an adequate adsorbent is the key to the success of an adsorption-based pollution abatement system. In Taiwan, all nuclear power plants use activated carbon as the adsorbent to treat radiation-contaminated air emission. The activated carbon is entirely imported; its price and manufacturing technology are entirely controlled by international companies. Taiwan is rich in bamboo, which is one of the raw materials for high-quality activated carbon. Thus, a less costly activated carbon with the same or even better adsorptive capability as the imported adsorbent can be made from bamboo. The objective of this research is to confirm the adsorptive characteristics and efficiency of the activated carbon made of Taiwan native bamboo for removing {sup 131}I gas from air in the laboratory. The study was conducted using new activated carbon module assembled for treating {sup 131}I-contaminated air. The laboratory results reveal that the {sup 131}I removal efficiency for a single-pass module is as high as 70%, and the overall efficiency is 100% for four single-pass modules operated in series. The bamboo charcoal and bamboo activated carbon have suitable functional groups for adsorbing {sup 131}I and they have greater adsorption capacities than commercial activated carbons. Main mechanism is for trapping of radioiodine on impregnated charcoal, as a result of surface oxidation. When volatile radioiodine is trapped by potassium iodide-impregnated bamboo charcoal, the iodo-compound is first adsorbed on the charcoal surface, and then migrates to iodide ion sites where isotope exchange occurs. (Copyright copyright 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

  2. Two-dimensional gold nanostructures with high activity for selective oxidation of carbon-hydrogen bonds

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Liang; Zhu, Yihan; Wang, Jian-Qiang; Liu, Fudong; Huang, Jianfeng; Meng, Xiangju; Basset, Jean-Marie; Han, Yu; Xiao, Feng-Shou

    2015-04-01

    Efficient synthesis of stable two-dimensional (2D) noble metal catalysts is a challenging topic. Here we report the facile synthesis of 2D gold nanosheets via a wet chemistry method, by using layered double hydroxide as the template. Detailed characterization with electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy demonstrates that the nanosheets are negatively charged and [001] oriented with thicknesses varying from single to a few atomic layers. X-ray absorption spectroscopy reveals unusually low gold-gold coordination numbers. These gold nanosheets exhibit high catalytic activity and stability in the solvent-free selective oxidation of carbon-hydrogen bonds with molecular oxygen.

  3. Removal of target odorous molecules on to activated carbon cloths.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Le Leuch, L M; Subrenat, A; Le Cloirec, P

    2004-01-01

    Activated carbon materials are adsorbents whose physico-chemical properties are interesting for the treatment of odorous compounds like hydrogen sulfide. Indeed, their structural parameters (pore structure) and surface chemistry (presence of heteroatoms such as oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus) play an important role in H2S removal. The cloth texture of these adsorbents (activated carbon cloths) is particularly adapted for dealing with high flows, often found in the treatment of odor emissions. Thus, this paper first presents the influence of these parameters through adsorption isothermal curves performed on several materials. Secondly, tests in a dynamic system are described. They highlight the low critical thickness of the fabric compared to granular activated carbon.

  4. Flexural Properties of Activated Carbon Filled Epoxy Nano composites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khalil, H.P.S.A.; Khalil, H.P.S.A.; Alothman, O.Y.; Paridah, M.T.; Zainudin, E.S.

    2014-01-01

    Activated carbon (AC) filled epoxy nano composites obtained by mixing the desired amount of nano AC viz., bamboo stem, oil palm empty fruit bunch, and coconut shell from agricultural biomass with the epoxy resin. Flexural properties of activated carbons filled epoxy nano composites with 1 %, and 5 % filler loading were measured. In terms of flexural strength and modulus, a significant increment was observed with addition of 1 % vol and 5 % vol nano-activated carbon as compared to neat epoxy. The effect of activated carbon treated by two chemical agents (potassium hydroxide and phosphoric acid) on the flexural properties of epoxy nano composites were also investigated. Flexural strength of activated carbon-bamboo stem, activated carbon-oil palm, and activated carbon-coconut shell reinforced epoxy nano composites showed almost same value in case of 5 % potassium hydroxide activated carbon. Flexural strength of potassium hydroxide activated carbon-based epoxy nano composites was higher than phosphoric acid activated carbon. The flexural toughness of both the potassium hydroxide and phosphoric acid activated carbon reinforced composites range between 0.79 - 0.92 J. It attributed that developed activated carbon filled epoxy nano composites can be used in different applications. (author)

  5. Physicochemical properties of carbons prepared from pecan shell by phosphoric acid activation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Yanping; Rockstraw, David A

    2007-05-01

    Activated carbons were prepared from pecan shell by phosphoric acid activation. The pore structure and acidic surface groups of these carbons were characterized by nitrogen adsorption, Boehm titration and transmittance Fourier infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) techniques. The characterization results demonstrated that the development of pore structure was apparent at temperatures 250 degrees C, and reached 1130m(2)/g and 0.34cm(3)/g, respectively, at 500 degrees C. Impregnation ratio and soaking time at activation temperature also affected the pore development and pore size distribution of final carbon products. At an impregnation ratio of 1.5, activated carbon with BET surface area and micropore volume as high as 861m(2)/g and 0.289cm(3)/g was obtained at 400 degrees C. Microporous activated carbons were obtained in this study. Low impregnation ratio (less than 1.5) and activation temperature (less than 300 degrees C) are favorable to the formation of acidic surface functional groups, which consist of temperature-sensitive (unstable at high temperature) and temperature-insensitive (stable at high temperature) two parts. The disappearance of temperature-sensitive groups was significant at temperature 300 degrees C; while the temperature-insensitive groups are stable even at 500 degrees C. FTIR results showed that the temperature-insensitive part was mostly phosphorus-containing groups as well as some carbonyl-containing groups, while carbonyl-containing groups were the main contributor of temperature-sensitive part.

  6. The removal of chloramphenicol from water through adsorption on activated carbon

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lach, Joanna; Ociepa-Kubicka, Agnieszka

    2017-10-01

    The presented research investigated the removal of chloramphenicol from water solutions on selected activated carbon available in three grades with different porous structure and surface chemical composition. Two models of adsorption kinetics were examined, i.e. the pseudo-first order and the pseudo-second order models. For all examined cases, the results of tests with higher value of coefficient R2 were described by the equation for pseudo-second order kinetics. The adsorption kinetics was also investigated on the activated carbons modified with ozone. The measurements were taken from the solutions with pH values of 2 and 7. Chloramphenicol was the most efficiently adsorbed on the activated carbon F-300 from the solutions with pH=7, and on the activated carbon ROW 08 Supra from the solutions with pH=2. The adsorption of this antibiotic was in the majority of cases higher from the solutions with pH=2 than pH=7. The modification of the activated carbons with ozone enhanced their adsorption capacities for chloramphenicol. The adsorption is influenced by the modification method of activated carbon (i.e. the duration of ozonation of the activated carbon solution and the solution temperature). The results were described with the Freundlich and Langmuir adsorption isotherm equations. Both models well described the obtained results (high R2 values).

  7. Preparation and Characterization of Activated Carbon Obtained from Plantain (Musa paradisiaca Fruit Stem

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    O. A. Ekpete

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Carbonization of carbon obtained from plantain (Musa paradisiaca stem was achieved at a temperature of 400°C for one hour. The carbonized carbon was divided into two parts to be activated separately. The activated carbon CPPAC (carbonized plantain phosphoric acid activated carbon and CPZAC (carbonized plantain zinc chloride activated carbon were produced via the chemical activation process using H3PO4 and ZnCl2. Characterization of pH, bulk density, moisture content, ash content, volatile matter, iodine number, and oxygen functional group was conducted. When comparing the surface properties of both CPPAC and CPZAC with the untreated plantain carbon (UPC, it was observed that there existed significant differences in all properties with the exemption of carboxylic group for CPPAC and phenolic group for both CPPAC and CPZAC, thus signifying that a chemical transformation did occur. When comparing the results obtained from CPPAC to that of CPZAC, CPPAC was more preferable for adsorption due to its low bulk density, low ash content, and high iodine value, signifying thus that the activating agents both reacted differently with the plantain stem.

  8. Activated carbons prepared from hazelnut shells, walnut shells and peanut shells for high CO2 adsorption

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lewicka Katarzyna

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Research treats about producing activated carbons for CO2 capture from hazelnut shells (HN, walnut shells (WN and peanut shells (PN. Saturated solution of KOH was used as an activating agent in ratio 1:1. Samples were carbonized in the furnace in the range of temperatures 600°C–900°C. Properties of carbons were tested by N2 adsorption method, using BET equation, DFT method and volumetric CO2 adsorption method. With the increase of carbonization temperature specific surface area of studied samples increased. The largest surface area was calculated for samples carbonized at 900°C and the highest values of CO2 adsorption had samples: PN900 at 0°C (5.5 mmol/g and WN900 at 25°C (4.34 mmol/g. All of the samples had a well-developed microporous structure.

  9. Oxidation kinetics and mechanisms of carbon/carbon composites and their components in water vapour at high temperatures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Qin, Fei; Peng, Li-na; He, Guo-qiang; Li, Jiang; Yan, Yong

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • 4D-C/C composite was fabricated using carbon fibre and coal tar pitch. • The rate of mass loss and oxidation kinetics parameters of fibres-H 2 O and matrix-H 2 O are obtained. • The rate of mass loss and oxidation kinetics parameters of C/C–H 2 O are obtained. • Oxidation rate of the fibre bundle is greater than the oxidation rate of the matrix. - Abstract: Thermogravimetric analysis and scanning electron microscopy were used to study the oxidation kinetics of four-direction carbon/carbon composites and their components (fibres and matrices) in a H 2 O–Ar atmosphere at high temperatures. The oxidation processes were restricted to reaction-limited oxidation. The rate of mass loss was estimated for the four-direction carbon/carbon composites and their components at high temperature. The pressure exponent for the reaction of the carbon/carbon composites with H 2 O was 0.59, and the pre-exponential factor and activation energy for the reactions of H 2 O with the carbon/carbon composites, carbon fibres and matrices were determined

  10. Activated carbon derived from harmful aquatic plant for high stable supercapacitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Jiangfeng; Wu, Qingsheng

    2018-01-01

    Considering cost and environmental protection, the harmful aquatic plant altemanthera philoxeroides derived carbon material with super high specific surface area (2895 m2 g-1) is an ideal electrode material for supercapacitor. The structure and composition of these carbon materials were characterized by SEM, EDS, XPS and BET measurements. The obtained material exhibits a maximum specific capacitance of 275 F g-1 at 0.5 A g-1 and retains a capacitance of 210 F g-1 even at 50 A g-1. In addition, it also shows excellent capacity retention of 5000 cycles at 10 A g-1.

  11. Activated Fraction Of Black Carbon By Cloud Droplets And Ice Crystals At The High Alpine Site Jungfraujoch (3580 m asl)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cozic, J.; Mertes, S. [IFT Leipzig (Georgia); Verheggen, B.; Petzold, A. [DLR, Oberpfaffenhofen (Georgia); Weingartner, E.; Baltensperger, U.

    2005-03-01

    Measurements of black carbon (BC) were made in winter and summer 2004 at the high Alpine site Jungfraujoch in order to study the activation of BC into cloud droplets and ice crystals. Main results showed that the activated fraction represents 61% in summer and that for a large temperature range between -25 C and 5 C, the activated BC fraction increases with increasing temperature and increasing liquid water content. (author)

  12. Oxidation kinetics and mechanisms of four-direction carbon/carbon composites and their components in carbon dioxide at high temperature

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Qin, Fei; Peng, Li-na; He, Guo-qiang; Li, Jiang

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: •Four-direction C/C composite was fabricated using carbon fibres and coal tar pitches. •Large-sized bulk matrix was prepared using same process as matrix of C/C composites. •A and E a of C/C, bulk matrix and fibres in CO 2 were determined, respectively. •Pressure exponent n was 0.62 in C/C–CO 2 . -- Abstract: Thermogravimetric analysis and scanning electron microscopy were used to study the oxidation kinetics of four-direction carbon/carbon composites and their components (fibres and matrix) in a CO 2 atmosphere at high temperature. The ablation processes were restricted to reaction-limited oxidation. The mass loss rate was estimated for the four-direction carbon/carbon composites and their components within the temperature of range of 600–1400 °C. The pressure exponent for the reaction of carbon/carbon composites and CO 2 was 0.62, and the pre-exponential factor and activation energy for the reactions of CO 2 and the carbon/carbon composites, carbon fibres and matrix were determined, respectively

  13. Activated carbon from peach stones using phosphoric acid activation at medium temperatures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Dong-Su

    2004-01-01

    In the present study, the activation features of phosphoric acid have been investigated using waste peach stones as the raw material in the production of granular activated carbon. Thermogravimetry/differential thermal analysis was conducted to characterize the thermal behavior of peach stone and titration method was used to evaluate the adsorption capacity of the produced activated carbon. It was observed that the iodine value of the activated carbon increased with activation temperature. However, temperatures higher than 500 degrees C caused a thermal destruction, which resulted in the decrease of the adsorption capacity. Activation longer than 1.5 h at 500 degrees C resulted in thermal degradation of the porous structure of the activated carbon. The adsorption capacity was enhanced with increasing of amounts of phosphoric acid, however, excessive phosphoric acid caused a decrease in the iodine value. In addition, it was found that the carbon yields generally decreased with activation temperature and activation time. Scanning electron microscopy analysis was conducted to observe the changes in the poros structure of the activated carbon produced in different temperatures. Activation of carbon by phosphoric acid was found to be superior to that by CaCl2 and gas activation. The activated carbon produced from peach stone was applied as an adsorbent in the treatment of synthesized wastewater containing cadmium ion and its adsorption capacity was found to be as good as that of the commercial one.

  14. Exceptionally strong sorption of infochemicals to activated carbon reduces their bioavailability to fish

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Jonker, Michiel T O; van Mourik, Louise

    2014-01-01

    The addition of activated carbon (AC) to sediments is a relatively new approach to remediate contaminated sites. Activated carbon strongly sorbs hydrophobic organic contaminants, thereby reducing their bioavailability and uptake in organisms. Because of its high sorption capacity, AC might, however,

  15. Highly Efficient Catalytic Cyclic Carbonate Formation by Pyridyl Salicylimines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Subramanian, Saravanan; Park, Joonho; Byun, Jeehye; Jung, Yousung; Yavuz, Cafer T

    2018-03-21

    Cyclic carbonates as industrial commodities offer a viable nonredox carbon dioxide fixation, and suitable heterogeneous catalysts are vital for their widespread implementation. Here, we report a highly efficient heterogeneous catalyst for CO 2 addition to epoxides based on a newly identified active catalytic pocket consisting of pyridine, imine, and phenol moieties. The polymeric, metal-free catalyst derived from this active site converts less-reactive styrene oxide under atmospheric pressure in quantitative yield and selectivity to the corresponding carbonate. The catalyst does not need additives, solvents, metals, or co-catalysts, can be reused at least 10 cycles without the loss of activity, and scaled up easily to a kilogram scale. Density functional theory calculations reveal that the nucleophilicity of pyridine base gets stronger due to the conjugated imines and H-bonding from phenol accelerates the reaction forward by stabilizing the intermediate.

  16. Design of Low Cost, Highly Adsorbent Activated Carbon Fibers for Air/Water Purification

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Mangun, Christian

    1999-01-01

    .... proposes a novel activated carbon fiber (ACF) that will combine the low cost and durability of GAC with tailored pore size and pore surface chemistry for improved defense against chemical weapons...

  17. Promoting effect of active carbons on methanol dehydrogenation on sodium carbonate - hydrogen spillover

    OpenAIRE

    Su, S.; Prairie, M.; Renken, A.

    1993-01-01

    Methanol dehydrogenation to formaldehyde was conducted in a fixed-bed flow reactor with sodium carbonate catalyst mixed with active carbons or transition metals. The additives promoted the reaction rate at 880-970 K without modifying formaldehyde selectivity. This effect increases with increasing carbon content in the carbon-carbonate mixture. Activation energy of methanol conversion is the same for the mixture and the carbonate alone. Temperature-programmed desorption experiments showed that...

  18. Activated Carbon from the Chinese Herbal Medicine Waste by H3PO4 Activation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tie Mi

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Large amounts of Chinese herbal medicine wastes produced by the medicinal factories have been mainly landfilled as waste. In this study, via phosphoric acid activation, a Chinese herbal medicine waste from Magnolia officinalis (CHMW-MO was prepared for activated carbon (CHMW-MO-AC. The effect of preparation conditions (phosphoric acid/CHMW-MO impregnation ratio, activation temperature, and time of activated carbon on yield of CHMW-MO-AC was investigated. The surface area and porous texture of the CHMW-MO-ACs were characterized by nitrogen adsorption at 77 K. The SBET and pore volume were achieved in their highest value of 920 m2/g and 0.703 cm3/g, respectively. Thermal gravity analysis and scanning electron microscope images showed that CHMW-MO-ACs have a high thermal resistance and pore development. The results indicated that CHMW-MO is a good precursor material for preparing activated carbon, and CHMW-MO-AC with well-developed mesopore volume can be prepared by H3PO4 activation.

  19. Magnetite impregnation effects on the sorbent properties of activated carbons and biochars.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Zhantao; Sani, Badruddeen; Mrozik, Wojciech; Obst, Martin; Beckingham, Barbara; Karapanagioti, Hrissi K; Werner, David

    2015-03-01

    This paper discusses the sorbent properties of magnetic activated carbons and biochars produced by wet impregnation with iron oxides. The sorbents had magnetic susceptibilities consistent with theoretical predictions for carbon-magnetite composites. The high BET surface areas of the activated carbons were preserved in the synthesis, and enhanced for one low surface area biochar by dissolving carbonates. Magnetization decreased the point of zero charge. Organic compound sorption correlated strongly with BET surface areas for the pristine and magnetized materials, while metal cation sorption did not show such a correlation. Strong sorption of the hydrophobic organic contaminant phenanthrene to the activated carbon or biochar surfaces was maintained following magnetite impregnation, while phenol sorption was diminished, probably due to enhanced carbon oxidation. Copper, zinc and lead sorption to the activated carbons and biochars was unchanged or slightly enhanced by the magnetization, and iron oxides also contributed to the composite metal sorption capacity. While a magnetic biochar with 219 ± 3.7 m(2)/g surface area nearly reached the very strong organic pollutant binding capacity of the two magnetic activated carbons, a magnetic biochar with 68 ± 2.8 m(2)/g surface area was the best metal sorbent. Magnetic biochars thus hold promise as more sustainable alternatives to coal-derived magnetic activated carbons. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Influence of activated carbon characteristics on toluene and hexane adsorption: Application of surface response methodology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Izquierdo, Mª Teresa; de Yuso, Alicia Martínez; Valenciano, Raquel; Rubio, Begoña; Pino, Mª Rosa

    2013-01-01

    The objective of this study was to evaluate the adsorption capacity of toluene and hexane over activated carbons prepared according an experimental design, considering as variables the activation temperature, the impregnation ratio and the activation time. The response surface methodology was applied to optimize the adsorption capacity of the carbons regarding the preparation conditions that determine the physicochemical characteristics of the activated carbons. The methodology of preparation produced activated carbons with surface areas and micropore volumes as high as 1128 m2/g and 0.52 cm3/g, respectively. Moreover, the activated carbons exhibit mesoporosity, ranging from 64.6% to 89.1% the percentage of microporosity. The surface chemistry was characterized by TPD, FTIR and acid-base titration obtaining different values of surface groups from the different techniques because the limitation of each technique, but obtaining similar trends for the activated carbons studied. The exhaustive characterization of the activated carbons allows to state that the measured surface area does not explain the adsorption capacity for either toluene or n-hexane. On the other hand, the surface chemistry does not explain the adsorption results either. A compromise between physical and chemical characteristics can be obtained from the appropriate activation conditions, and the response surface methodology gives the optimal activated carbon to maximize adsorption capacity. Low activation temperature, intermediate impregnation ratio lead to high toluene and n-hexane adsorption capacities depending on the activation time, which a determining factor to maximize toluene adsorption.

  1. High power density carbonate fuel cell

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yuh, C.; Johnsen, R.; Doyon, J.; Allen, J. [Energy Research Corp., Danbury, CT (United States)

    1996-12-31

    Carbonate fuel cell is a highly efficient and environmentally clean source of power generation. Many organizations worldwide are actively pursuing the development of the technology. Field demonstration of multi-MW size power plant has been initiated in 1996, a step toward commercialization before the turn of the century, Energy Research Corporation (ERC) is planning to introduce a 2.85MW commercial fuel cell power plant with an efficiency of 58%, which is quite attractive for distributed power generation. However, to further expand competitive edge over alternative systems and to achieve wider market penetration, ERC is exploring advanced carbonate fuel cells having significantly higher power densities. A more compact power plant would also stimulate interest in new markets such as ships and submarines where space limitations exist. The activities focused on reducing cell polarization and internal resistance as well as on advanced thin cell components.

  2. Evaluation of single-step steam pyrolysis-activated carbons

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Mgina

    Activated carbon has been widely used worldwide as an effective filtration or adsorption ... of producing activated carbon (AC) from local agroforestry residues by ..... impurities from waste water. .... Production of granular activated carbon.

  3. Preparation and characterization of activated carbon from castor de-oiled cake

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Viviana M. Ospina-Guarín

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Biomass residues have been used to produce activated carbons. On this process, the activation method and the raw composition determine the properties as porosity and surface area of the charcoal. After the extraction of castor oil, there is a solid byproduct (cake of low added value, which was used in the production of activated carbon to add value to this waste. For this purpose two traditional methods were used, first, physical activation using as activating agents steam, CO2 and mixture of both, and additionally chemical activation using K2CO3 as the activating agent. Some activated carbons were characterized using N2 adsorption isotherms, BET surface areas varied between 255.98 (m2/g and 1218.43 (m2/g. By SEM and EDS analysis was possible to observe that materials obtained by the two types of activation are principally amorphous and morphological characteristics of the carbon obtained by physical activation are very different from those obtained by chemical activation. Finally, through impregnation of inorganic phases of Ni and Mo was revealed that the high dispersion characteristics, these carbonaceous materials will have potential to be used as catalyst support.

  4. Mechanism of adsorption of gold and silver species on activated carbons

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jia, Y.F.; Steele, C.J.; Hayward, I.P.; Thomas, K.M. [University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Newcastle-upon-Tyne (United Kingdom). Northern Carbon Research Labs., Dept. of Chemistry

    1998-12-31

    The adsorption characteristics of gold and silver cyanide anionic species on a suite of active carbons derived from coal, coconut shell and polyacrylonitrile was investigated. The gold and silver cyanide adsorption capacities for both coconut shell and coal derived carbons correlated with total pore volume. Nitric acid treatment of the carbon was detrimental to gold adsorption in spite of the incorporation of oxygen into the carbon through oxidation. The influence of nitrogen functional groups in the carbon structure on gold and silver adsorption was investigated using carbons with very high nitrogen contents derived from polyacrylonitrile.

  5. Effect of carbon activity on the creep behaviour of 21/4Cr, 1Mo steel in sodium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cordwell, J.E.; Charnock, W.; Nicholson, R.D.

    1979-02-01

    The creep endurance and creep cracking behaviour of 2 1/4Cr, 1Mo steel in sodium at 475 0 C have been studied at three different sodium carbon activities. Creep endurance was found to increase with increasing carbon activity of the sodium. Tests carried out in high carbon activity sodium were discontinued before fracture. Creep crack initiation displacement at notches decreased with increasing carbon activity, presumably as a result of notch tip carburisation. The plastic zones at the tips of blunt notches in specimens exposed in high carbon activity sodium were preferentially carburised. These observations were similar to those made previously on 9Cr, 1Mo steel. One difference detected metallographically was that in a high carburising environment uniform carburisation was obtained in the 2 1/4Cr, 1Mo steel specimens whereas carburisation gradients were observed in the 9Cr, 1Mo steel. Creep crack propagation rates for given notch opening displacement rates in low and intermediate carbon activity sodium were indistinguishable. However, the strenthening that resulted from the mild carburisation of the specimen in the intermediate carbon activity sodium caused slower notch opening displacement rates and crack propagation rates than in the low carbon activity sodium, when the rates were compared at the same crack length. (author)

  6. Effect of alkali metal content of carbon on retention of iodine at high temperatures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Evans, A.G.

    1975-01-01

    Activated carbon for filters in reactor confinement systems is intentionally impregnated with iodine salts to enhance the removal of radioiodine from air streams containing organic iodides. When a variety of commercial impregnated carbons were evaluated for iodine retention at elevated temperatures (4 hours at 180 0 C), wide variations in iodine penetration were observed. The alkali metal and iodine content of carbon samples was determined by neutron activation analysis, and a strong correlation was shown between the atom ratio of iodine to alkali metals in the carbons and the high-temperature retention performance. Carbons containing excess alkali (especially potassium) have iodine penetration values 10 to 100 times lower than carbons containing excess iodine. Both low I/K ratios and high pH values were shown essential to high efficiency iodine retention; therefore, conversion of elemental iodine to ionic iodine is the basic reaction mechanism. The natural high K + content and high pH coconut carbons make coconut the preferred natural base material for nuclear air cleaning applications. Studies show, however, that treatment of low potassium carbons with a mixture of KOH and I 2 may produce a product equal to or better than I 2 -impregnated coconut carbons at a lower cost. (U.S.)

  7. Preparation of steam activated carbon from rubberwood sawdust (Hevea brasiliensis) and its adsorption kinetics

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Prakash Kumar, B.G. [Department of Chemical Engineering, Alagappa College of Technology, Anna University, Chennai 600 025 (India); Shivakamy, K. [Centralised Waste Management Facility, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Kalpakkam 603 102 (India); Miranda, Lima Rose [Department of Chemical Engineering, Alagappa College of Technology, Anna University, Chennai 600 025 (India); Velan, M. [Department of Chemical Engineering, Alagappa College of Technology, Anna University, Chennai 600 025 (India)]. E-mail: velan@annauniv.edu

    2006-08-25

    Activated carbon was produced from a biowaste product, rubberwood sawdust (RWSD) using steam in a high temperature fluidized bed reactor. Experiments were carried out to investigate the influence of various process parameters such as activation time, activation temperature, particle size and fluidising velocity on the quality of the activated carbon. The activated carbon was characterized based on its iodine number, methylene blue number, Brauner Emmet Teller (BET) surface area and surface area obtained using the ethylene glycol mono ethyl ether (EGME) retention method. The best quality activated carbon was obtained at an activation time and temperature of 1 h and 750 deg. C for an average particle size of 0.46 mm. The adsorption kinetics shows that pseudo-second-order rate fitted the adsorption kinetics better than pseudo-first-order rate equation. The adsorption capacity of carbon produced from RWSD was found to be 1250 mg g{sup -1} for the Bismark Brown dye. The rate constant and diffusion coefficient for intraparticle transport were determined for steam activated carbon. The characteristic of the prepared activated carbon was found comparable to the commercial activated carbon.

  8. Highly Efficient Procedure for the Synthesis of Fructone Fragrance Using a Novel Carbon based Acid

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xuezheng Liang

    2010-08-01

    Full Text Available The novel carbon based acid has been synthesized via one-step hydrothermal carbonization of furaldehyde and hydroxyethylsulfonic acid. A highly efficient procedure for the synthesis of fructone has been developed using the novel carbon based acid. The results showed that the catalyst possessed high activity for the reaction, giving a yield of over 95%. The advantages of high activity, stability, reusability and low cost for a simple synthesis procedure and wide applicability to various diols and β-keto esters make this novel carbon based acid one of the best choices for the reaction.

  9. Characterization of Activated Carbon from Coal and Its Application as Adsorbent on Mine Acid Water Treatment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Siti Hardianti

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Anthracite and Sub-bituminous as activated carbon raw material had been utilized especially in mining field as adsorbent of dangerous heavy metal compound resulted in mining activity. Carbon from coal was activated physically and chemically in various temperature and particle sizes. Characterization was carried out in order to determine the adsorbent specification produced hence can be used and applied accordingly. Proximate and ultimate analysis concluded anthracite has fixed carbon 88.91% while sub-bituminous 49.05%. NaOH was used in chemical activation while heated at 400-500°C whereas physical activation was conducted at 800-1000°C. Activated carbon has high activity in adsorbing indicated by high iodine number resulted from analysis. SEM-EDS result confirmed that activated carbon made from coal has the quality in accordance to SNI and can be used as adsorbent in acid water treatment.

  10. An activated microporous carbon prepared from phenol-melamine-formaldehyde resin for lithium ion battery anode

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhu, Yinhai; Xiang, Xiaoxia; Liu, Enhui; Wu, Yuhu; Xie, Hui; Wu, Zhilian; Tian, Yingying

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► Microporous carbon was prepared by chemical activation of phenol-melamine-formaldehyde resin. ► Activation leads to high surface area, well-developed micropores. ► Micropores lead to strong intercalation between carbon and lithium ion. ► Large surface area promotes to improve the lithium storage capacity. -- Abstract: Microporous carbon anode materials were prepared from phenol-melamine-formaldehyde resin by ZnCl 2 and KOH activation. The physicochemical properties of the obtained carbon materials were characterized by scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffraction, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller, and elemental analysis. The electrochemical properties of the microporous carbon as anode materials in lithium ion secondary batteries were evaluated. At a current density of 100 mA g −1 , the carbon without activation shows a first discharge capacity of 515 mAh g −1 . After activation, the capacity improved obviously. The first discharge capacity of the carbon prepared by ZnCl 2 and KOH activation was 1010 and 2085 mAh g −1 , respectively. The reversible capacity of the carbon prepared by KOH activation was still as high as 717 mAh g −1 after 20 cycles, which was much better than that activated by ZnCl 2 . These results demonstrated that it may be a promising candidate as an anode material for lithium ion secondary batteries.

  11. Measurement of carbon thermodynamic activity in sodium

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kozlov, F A; Zagorulko, Yu I; Kovalev, Yu P; Alekseev, V V [Institute of Physics and Power Engineering, Obninsk (USSR)

    1980-05-01

    The report presents the brief outline on system of carbon activity detecting system in sodium (SCD), operating on the carbon-permeable membrane, of the methods and the results of testing it under the experimental circulating loop conditions. The results of carbon activity sensor calibration with the use of equilibrium samples of XI8H9, Fe -8Ni, Fe -12Mn materials are listed. The behaviour of carbon activity sensor signals in sodium under various transitional conditions and hydrodynamic perturbation in the circulating loop, containing carbon bearing impurities in the sodium flow and their deposits on the surfaces flushed by sodium, are described. (author)

  12. Acid-base characteristics of powdered-activated-carbon surfaces

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Reed, B.E. (West Virginia Univ., Morgantown (United States)); Jensen, J.N.; Matsumoto, M.R. (State Univ. of New York, Buffalo (United States))

    Adsorption of heavy metals onto activated carbon has been described using the surface-complex-formation (SCF) model, a chemical equilibrium model. The SCF model requires a knowledge of the amphoteric nature of activated carbon prior to metal adsorption modeling. In the past, a single-diprotic-acid-site model had been employed to describe the amphoteric nature of activated-carbon surfaces. During this study, the amphoteric nature of two powdered activated carbons were investigated, and a three-monoprotic site surface model was found to be a plausible alternative. The single-diprotic-acid-site and two-monoprotic-site models did not describe the acid-base behavior of the two carbons studied adequately. The two-diprotic site was acceptable for only one of the study carbons. The acid-base behavior of activated carbon surfaces seem to be best modeled as a series of weak monoprotic acids.

  13. Enhanced adsorption of perfluorooctane sulfonate and perfluorooctanoate by bamboo-derived granular activated carbon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deng, Shubo; Nie, Yao; Du, Ziwen; Huang, Qian; Meng, Pingping; Wang, Bin; Huang, Jun; Yu, Gang

    2015-01-23

    A bamboo-derived granular activated carbon with large pores was successfully prepared by KOH activation, and used to remove perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) from aqueous solution. The granular activated carbon prepared at the KOH/C mass ratio of 4 and activation temperature of 900°C had fast and high adsorption for PFOS and PFOA. Their adsorption equilibrium was achieved within 24h, which was attributed to their fast diffusion in the micron-sized pores of activated carbon. This granular activated carbon exhibited the maximum adsorbed amount of 2.32mmol/g for PFOS and 1.15mmol/g for PFOA at pH 5.0, much higher than other granular and powdered activated carbons reported. The activated carbon prepared under the severe activation condition contained many enlarged pores, favorable for the adsorption of PFOS and PFOA. In addition, the spent activated carbon was hardly regenerated in NaOH/NaCl solution, while the regeneration efficiency was significantly enhanced in hot water and methanol/ethanol solution, indicating that hydrophobic interaction was mainly responsible for the adsorption. The regeneration percent was up to 98% using 50% ethanol solution at 45°C. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Highly sensitive room temperature organic vapor sensor based on polybenzoxazine-derived carbon aerogel thin film composite

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thubsuang, Uthen; Sukanan, Darunee; Sahasithiwat, Somboon; Wongkasemjit, Sujitra; Chaisuwan, Thanyalak

    2015-01-01

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Activated carbon aerogel with high surface area can be prepared from polybenzoxazine. • Activated carbon aerogel enhances the adsorption capacity of gas sensor. • Organic vapors with very low concentration can be detected by the as-prepared sensor. • The as-prepared sensor shows impressive short exposure and recovery time. • The response to different organic vapors can be tailored by changing polymer matrix. - Abstract: Gas sensing composites were fabricated using polybenzoxazine-based activated carbon aerogel as a conductive filler. The activated carbon aerogel is a nano-porous material, which has high pore volume of 0.57 cm 3 /g and surface area of 917 m 2 /g. The activated carbon aerogel/polybutadiene composite displayed good response of 11.2 and 6.7 to toluene and n-hexane, respectively, compared to those of graphite/polybutadiene composite. The activated carbon aerogel/polybutadiene composite also showed high sensitivity of 3.09 × 10 2 ppm −1 to toluene. However, the sensitivity of activated carbon aerogel/polybutadiene composite drastically decreased to 1.99 ppm −1 and zero when exposed to acetone and water, respectively. Contrarily, when polyvinyl alcohol was used as a matrix, the sensitivity was about 4.19 ppm −1 to water. While the composite was found to be not sensitive to toluene. The activated carbon aerogel/polybutadiene composite also showed good recovery as the electrical resistance came back to the original value within minutes when exposed to nitrogen gas

  15. Highly Efficient Method for the Synthesis of Activated Mesoporous Biocarbons with Extremely High Surface Area for High-Pressure CO2 Adsorption.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Gurwinder; Lakhi, Kripal S; Kim, In Young; Kim, Sungho; Srivastava, Prashant; Naidu, Ravi; Vinu, Ajayan

    2017-09-06

    A simple and efficient way to synthesize activated mesoporous biocarbons (AMBs) with extremely high BET surface area and large pore volume has been achieved for the first time through a simple solid state activation of freely available biomass, Arundo donax, with zinc chloride. The textural parameters of the AMB can easily be controlled by varying the activation temperature. It is demonstrated that the mesoporosity of AMB can be finely tuned with a simple adjustment of the amount of activating agent. AMB with almost 100% mesoporosity can be achieved using the activating agent and the biomass ratio of 5 and carbonization at 500 °C. Under the optimized conditions, AMB with a BET surface area of 3298 m 2 g -1 and a pore volume of 1.9 cm 3 g -1 can be prepared. While being used as an adsorbent for CO 2 capture, AMB registers an impressively high pressure CO 2 adsorption capacity of 30.2 mmol g -1 at 30 bar which is much higher than that of activated carbon (AC), multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), highly ordered mesoporous carbons, and mesoporous carbon nitrides. AMB also shows high stability with excellent regeneration properties under vacuum and temperatures of up to 250 °C. These impressive textural parameters and high CO 2 adsorption capacity of AMB clearly reveal its potential as a promising adsorbent for high-pressure CO 2 capture and storage application. Also, the simple one-step synthesis strategy outlined in this work would provide a pathway to generate a series of novel mesoporous activated biocarbons from different biomasses.

  16. Behaviour of waterborne radon in activated carbon filters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Haberer, K.; Akkermann-Kubillus, A.

    1999-01-01

    To investigate the behaviour of radon in adsorption/desorption processes in filter systems with different activated carbon types, measurements were focused on adsorption capacity, adsorption velocity, retain capability, interaction with ions (poisoning of active centers) and adsorption of radon daughters. Various activated carbon types derived from hard coal, brown coal, peat and wood, were used in adsorption tests runs with activated carbons which are frequently applied in water treatment facilities. In laboratory tests, water facility filter conditions were simulated using pilot plant columns filled with different carbon types. Finally, a small scale laboratory column was installed at a natural water source with elevated activity. Long-time filter runs were conducted under varying flow rates and with different amounts of the in waterworks wide-spread used activated carbon F-300. The main results observed were: 1. The amount of radioactivity adsorbed depends upon the type of carbon, its granular size and the contact time between the activated carbon and water. The decontamination capacity was between 19% and 94. 2. The DOC-levels of water influences the adsorbable radioactivity due to the poisoning of the active centres of the carbon. The adsorption velocity decreased down to 15%. 3. The maximum decontamination rate of the water under waterworks conditions was 60%. (orig.) [de

  17. Production of granular activated carbon from food-processing wastes (walnut shells and jujube seeds) and its adsorptive properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bae, Wookeun; Kim, Jongho; Chung, Jinwook

    2014-08-01

    Commercial activated carbon is a highly effective absorbent that can be used to remove micropollutants from water. As a result, the demand for activated carbon is increasing. In this study, we investigated the optimum manufacturing conditions for producing activated carbon from ligneous wastes generated from food processing. Jujube seeds and walnut shells were selected as raw materials. Carbonization and steam activation were performed in a fixed-bed laboratory electric furnace. To obtain the highest iodine number, the optimum conditions for producing activated carbon from jujube seeds and walnut shells were 2 hr and 1.5 hr (carbonization at 700 degrees C) followed by 1 hr and 0.5 hr (activation at 1000 degrees C), respectively. The surface area and iodine number of activated carbon made from jujube seeds and walnut shells were 1,477 and 1,184 m2/g and 1,450 and 1,200 mg/g, respectively. A pore-distribution analysis revealed that most pores had a pore diameter within or around 30-40 angstroms, and adsorption capacity for surfactants was about 2 times larger than the commercial activated carbon, indicating that waste-based activated carbon can be used as alternative. Implications: Wastes discharged from agricultural and food industries results in a serious environmental problem. A method is proposed to convert food-processing wastes such as jujube seeds and walnut shells into high-grade granular activated carbon. Especially, the performance of jujube seeds as activated carbon is worthy of close attention. There is little research about the application ofjujube seeds. Also, when compared to two commercial carbons (Samchully and Calgon samples), the results show that it is possible to produce high-quality carbon, particularly from jujube seed, using a one-stage, 1,000 degrees C, steam pyrolysis. The preparation of activated carbon from food-processing wastes could increase economic return and reduce pollution.

  18. Characteristics of an activated carbon monolith for a helium adsorption compressor

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lozano-Castello, D.; Jorda-Beneyto, M.; Cazorla-Amoros, D.; Linares-Solano, A.; Burger, Johannes Faas; ter Brake, Hermanus J.M.; Holland, Herman J.

    2010-01-01

    An activated carbon monolith (ACM) with a high helium adsorption/desorption capacity, high density, low pressure drop, low thermal expansion and good mechanical properties was prepared and applied successfully in a helium adsorption compressor as a part of a 4.5 K sorption cooler. The activated

  19. Catalytic Growth of Macroscopic Carbon Nanofibers Bodies with Activated Carbon

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abdullah, N.; Rinaldi, A.; Muhammad, I. S.; Hamid, S. B. Abd.; Su, D. S.; Schlogl, R.

    2009-06-01

    Carbon-carbon composite of activated carbon and carbon nanofibers have been synthesized by growing Carbon nanofiber (CNF) on Palm shell-based Activated carbon (AC) with Ni catalyst. The composites are in an agglomerated shape due to the entanglement of the defective CNF between the AC particles forming a macroscopic body. The macroscopic size will allow the composite to be used as a stabile catalyst support and liquid adsorbent. The preparation of CNT/AC nanocarbon was initiated by pre-treating the activated carbon with nitric acid, followed by impregnation of 1 wt% loading of nickel (II) nitrate solutions in acetone. The catalyst precursor was calcined and reduced at 300° C for an hour in each step. The catalytic growth of nanocarbon in C2H4/H2 was carried out at temperature of 550° C for 2 hrs with different rotating angle in the fluidization system. SEM and N2 isotherms show the level of agglomeration which is a function of growth density and fluidization of the system. The effect of fluidization by rotating the reactor during growth with different speed give a significant impact on the agglomeration of the final CNF/AC composite and thus the amount of CNFs produced. The macrostructure body produced in this work of CNF/AC composite will have advantages in the adsorbent and catalyst support application, due to the mechanical and chemical properties of the material.

  20. Behaviour of natural radionuclides on activated carbon filter

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Haberer, K.; Akkermann-Kubillus, A.; Dahlheimer, A.

    1998-01-01

    To investigate the behaviour of radon in adsorption/desorption processes at filter systems based on different activated carbon types, measurements were focused on adsorption capacity, adsorption velocity, retain capability, interaction with ions (poisoning of active centers) and adsorption of radon daughters. Various activated carbon types derived from hard coal, brown coal, peat and wood, were used in adsorption tests runs with activated carbons which are applied in water treatment facilities. In laboratory tests, water facility filter conditions were simulated using pilot plant columns filled with different carbon types. A small scale laboratory column was installed at a natural water source with elevated activity. Tests runs were conducted under varying flow rates and with different amounts of carbon. A full-scale waterworks filter system operated for 6 months was investigated for radon decay products adsorbed on the carbon. The main results observed were: 1. The amount of radioactivity adsorbed depends upon the type of carbon, its granular size and the contact time between the activated carbon and water. The decontamination capacity was between 19% and 94%. 2. The DOC-levels of water influences the adsorbable radioactivity due to the poisoning of the active centers of the carbon. The adsorption velocity decreased down to 15%. 3. The maximum decontamination rate of the water under waterworks conditions was 60%. (orig.) [de

  1. Fabrication of Highly Stable and Efficient PtCu Alloy Nanoparticles on Highly Porous Carbon for Direct Methanol Fuel Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khan, Inayat Ali; Qian, Yuhong; Badshah, Amin; Zhao, Dan; Nadeem, Muhammad Arif

    2016-08-17

    Boosting the durability of Pt nanoparticles by controlling the composition and morphology is extremely important for fuel cells commercialization. We deposit the Pt-Cu alloy nanoparticles over high surface area carbon in different metallic molar ratios and optimize the conditions to achieve desired material. The novel bimetallic electro-catalyst {Pt-Cu/PC-950 (15:15%)} offers exceptional electrocatalytic activity when tested for both oxygen reduction reaction and methanol oxidation reactions. A high mass activity of 0.043 mA/μgPt (based on Pt mass) is recorded for ORR. An outstanding longevity of this electro-catalyst is noticed when compared to 20 wt % Pt loaded either on PC-950 or commercial carbon. The high surface area carbon support offers enhanced activity and prevents the nanoparticles from agglomeration, migration, and dissolution as evident by TEM analysis.

  2. Heavily Graphitic-Nitrogen Self-doped High-porosity Carbon for the Electrocatalysis of Oxygen Reduction Reaction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feng, Tong; Liao, Wenli; Li, Zhongbin; Sun, Lingtao; Shi, Dongping; Guo, Chaozhong; Huang, Yu; Wang, Yi; Cheng, Jing; Li, Yanrong; Diao, Qizhi

    2017-11-01

    Large-scale production of active and stable porous carbon catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) from protein-rich biomass became a hot topic in fuel cell technology. Here, we report a facile strategy for synthesis of nitrogen-doped porous nanocarbons by means of a simple two-step pyrolysis process combined with the activation of zinc chloride and acid-treatment process, in which kidney bean via low-temperature carbonization was preferentially adopted as the only carbon-nitrogen sources. The results show that this carbon material exhibits excellent ORR electrocatalytic activity, and higher durability and methanol-tolerant property compared to the state-of-the-art Pt/C catalyst for the ORR, which can be mainly attributed to high graphitic-nitrogen content, high specific surface area, and porous characteristics. Our results can encourage the synthesis of high-performance carbon-based ORR electrocatalysts derived from widely-existed natural biomass.

  3. High temperature hydrogen sulfide adsorption on activated carbon - I. Effects of gas composition and metal addition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cal, M.P.; Strickler, B.W.; Lizzio, A.A.

    2000-01-01

    Various types of activated carbon sorbents were evaluated for their ability to remove H2S from a simulated coal gas stream at a temperature of 550 ??C. The ability of activated carbon to remove H2S at elevated temperature was examined as a function of carbon surface chemistry (oxidation, thermal desorption, and metal addition), and gas composition. A sorbent prepared by steam activation, HNO3 oxidation and impregnated with Zn, and tested in a gas stream containing 0.5% H2S, 50% CO2 and 49.5% N2, had the greatest H2S adsorption capacity. Addition of H2, CO, and H2O to the inlet gas stream reduced H2S breakthrough time and H2S adsorption capacity. A Zn impregnated activated carbon, when tested using a simulated coal gas containing 0.5% H2S, 49.5% N2, 13% H2, 8.5% H2O, 21% CO, and 7.5% CO2, had a breakthrough time of 75 min, which was less than 25 percent of the length of breakthrough for screening experiments performed with a simplified gas mixture of 0.5% H2S, 50% CO2, and 49.5% N2.

  4. Biogas pre-upgrading by adsorption of trace compounds onto granular activated carbons and an activated carbon fiber-cloth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boulinguiez, B; Le Cloirec, P

    2009-01-01

    The study assesses the adsorption onto activated carbon materials of selected volatile organic compounds -VOCs- (dichloromethane, 2-propanol, toluene, siloxane D4) in a biogas matrix composed of methane and carbon dioxide (55:45 v/v). Three different adsorbents are tested, two of them are granular activated carbon (GAC), and the last is an activated carbon fiber-cloth (ACFC). The adsorption isotherm data are fitted by different models by nonlinear regression. The Langmuir-Freundlich model appears to be the adequate one to describe the adsorption phenomena independently of the VOC considered or the adsorbent. The adsorbents present attractive adsorption capacity of the undesirable compounds in biogas atmosphere though the maximum adsorption capacities for a VOC are quite different from each other. The adsorption kinetics are characterized through three coefficients: the initial adsorption coefficient, the external film mass transfer coefficient and the internal diffusion coefficient of Weber. The ACFC demonstrates advanced kinetic yields compared to the granular activated carbon materials whatever VOC is considered. Therefore, pre-upgrading of biogas produced from wastewater sludge or co-digestion system by adsorption onto activated carbon appears worth investigating. Especially with ACFC material that presents correct adsorption capacities toward VOCs and concrete regeneration process opportunity to realize such process.

  5. Preparation and characterisation of activated carbon

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Badri bin Muhammad; Karen binti Badri; Mohd Zobir bin Hussein; Zulkarnain bin Zainal; W.M. Daud bin W Yunus; Ramli bin Ibrahim

    1994-01-01

    Activated carbon was prepared from Agricultural wastes, such as coconut shell, Palm oil Shell and mangrove trunk by destructive distillation under vakuum. Chemical and Physical properties of the activated carbon were studied and some potentially useful application in the fields of chemistry was also carried out

  6. Activated carbon from flash pyrolysis of eucalyptus residue

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Grima-Olmedo C

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Forestry waste (eucalyptus sp was converted into activated carbon by initial flash pyrolysis followed carbonization and CO2 activation. These residues were obtained from a pilot plant in Spain that produces biofuel, the biochar represented 10–15% in weight. It was observed that the highest activation was achieved at a temperature of 800 °C, the specific surface increased with time but, on the contrary, high loss of matter was observed. At 600 °C, although there was an important increase of the specific surface and the volume of micropores, at this temperature it was observed that the activation time was not an influential parameter. Finally, at 400 °C it was observed that the activation process was not very significant. Assessing the average pore diameter it was found that the lowest value corresponded to the activation temperature of 600 °C, which indicated the development of microporosity. When the activation temperature increases up to 800 °C the pore diameter increased developing mesoporosity.

  7. Production of activated carbon from peanut hill using phosphoric acid and microwave activation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Weerawat Clowutimon

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available The optimum conditions for preparing activated carbon from peanut hulls by phosphoric acid and microwave activation were studied. Factors investigated in this study were temperature of carbonization at 300, 350, 400 and 450๐ C, and time of carbonization at 30, 60 and 90 minutes. The optimum yield was observed that carbonization temperature of 400๐ C and time at 60 minutes, respectively. The yield of charcoal was 39% and the f ix carbon was 69%. Then the charcoal was activated by phosphoric acid and microwave irradiation, respectively. The effect of the weight per volume ratios of charcoal to activating acid (1:1, 1:2 and 2:1(W/V, microwave power at (activated 300, 500 and 700 watts, and activated time (30, 60 and 90 seconds were studied. The results showed that the optimum conditions for activating peanut charcoal were 1:2 (W/V charcoal per activating acid, microwave power 700 watts for 90 seconds. The results yielding maximum surface area by BET method was 303.1 m2 /g and pore volume was 0.140 cm3 /g. An efficiency of maximum iodine adsorption was 418 mg iodine/g activated carbon. Comparing the adsorption efficiency of non- irradiated and irradiated activated carbon, the efficiency of irradiated activated carbon improved up to 31%, due to its larger surface area and pore volume.

  8. A highly active PtCu3 intermetallic core-shell, multilayered Pt-skin, carbon embedded electrocatalyst produced by a scale-up sol-gel synthesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bele, M; Jovanovič, P; Pavlišič, A; Jozinović, B; Zorko, M; Rečnik, A; Chernyshova, E; Hočevar, S; Hodnik, N; Gaberšček, M

    2014-11-07

    We present a novel, scaled-up sol-gel synthesis which enables one to produce 20 g batches of highly active and stable carbon supported PtCu3 nanoparticles as cathode materials for low temperature fuel cell application. We confirm the presence of an ordered intermetallic phase underneath a multilayered Pt-skin together with firm embedment of nanoparticles in the carbon matrix.

  9. A Review on Adsorption of Cationic Dyes using Activated Carbon

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Corda Nikita Chrishel

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available In this article efficiency of activated carbon as a potent adsorbent of cationic dyes has been reviewed. Non-biodegradable nature of pollutants and their removal in the present generation is a great challenge. Therefore, extensive study on adsorption of these classes of pollutants from water bodies is being carried out. Methylene blue (majorly a dye seen in the effluent streams of textile, printing, paper industries along with some of the commonly used cationic dyes in process industries and their sorption on activated carbon are reviewed here. High cost of commercially activated carbon which is a limitation to its extensive use have paved way for study of adsorption by naturally obtained and extracted activated carbon from agricultural wastes and various other sources. The purpose of this review paper is to summarize the available information on the removal of cationic dyes using naturally extracted and commercially obtained activated carbon. Various parameters such as temperature, initial dye concentration, pH, contact time, adsorbent dosage, particle size, stirring, agitation etc. were studied and the optimum parameters were determined based on the experimental outcomes. Equilibrium data was examined using Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin and Dubinin–Radushkevich and few other isotherm models. Kinetic studies also have been carried out to find the most suitable way of expressing the adsorption process.

  10. Production of activated carbon from cellulosic fibers for environment protection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Le Coq, L.; Faur, C.; Le Cloirec, P.; Phan Ngoc, H.

    2005-01-01

    activation with CO 2 at 950 C after a pyrolysis step using N 2 at 950 C; 2) a chemical activation where the precursors are impregnated with 30 % wt. and then activated in N 2 at 900 C. The efficiency of both activation ways are compared in terms of process mass yield, pore development (determined by N 2 adsorption at 77 K, mercury porosimetry and SEM observations) and chemical surface (elemental analysis, ash content, surface groups, pH point of zero charge). Carbonized fibers obtained by pyrolysis of jute and coconut fibers at 950 C develop a quite high porosity (BET specific surface area about 500 - 650 m 2 g -1 ) due to an oxidation process by oxygen contained in the precursors (45.7 and 42.8 wt. % for jute and coconut fibers respectively). Concerning the activation step, because of different compositions in terms of cellulose - hemi-cellulose and lignin, the activated coconut fibers present higher specific surface area (≥ 1 000 m 2 g -1 ) that activated jute fibers, with a higher micro-porosity development (about 80 % vol. against 50 %). Furthermore, for both precursors, the chemical activation by phosphoric acid seems to be 'the best' method in terms of pore development as well as acidic surface functional groups generation, due to a different activation mechanism than CO 2 . Some macro-pores are formed by the effect of oxidation gas CO 2 (Fig. 1 for jute fibers). Furthermore, these macro-pores are mainly located inside the fiber, their axis being parallel with that of the latter. The high specific surface areas, pore volumes and acidic surface groups contents developed by our fibrous activated carbons enable them to be good adsorbents for water treatment. Adsorption tests carried out in batch reactor for different industrial pollutants (phenol, a dye and a metal ion) show the importance of surface functional groups for the adsorption of all pollutants. In the case of phenol, the specific surface area bas also a major effect while it bas only an appreciated effect in

  11. Promoting direct interspecies electron transfer with activated carbon

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Liu, Fanghua; Rotaru, Amelia-Elena; Shrestha, Pravin M.

    2012-01-01

    Granular activated carbon (GAC) is added to methanogenic digesters to enhance conversion of wastes to methane, but the mechanism(s) for GAC’s stimulatory effect are poorly understood. GAC has high electrical conductivity and thus it was hypothesized that one mechanism for GAC stimulation...

  12. Volumetric and superficial characterization of carbon activated

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Carrera G, L.M.; Garcia S, I.; Jimenez B, J.; Solache R, M.; Lopez M, B.; Bulbulian G, S.; Olguin G, M.T.

    2000-01-01

    The activated carbon is the resultant material of the calcination process of natural carbonated materials as coconut shells or olive little bones. It is an excellent adsorbent of diluted substances, so much in colloidal form, as in particles form. Those substances are attracted and retained by the carbon surface. In this work is make the volumetric and superficial characterization of activated carbon treated thermically (300 Centigrade) in function of the grain size average. (Author)

  13. Highly sensitive room temperature organic vapor sensor based on polybenzoxazine-derived carbon aerogel thin film composite

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Thubsuang, Uthen [Materials Science and Engineering, School of Engineering and Resources, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80160 (Thailand); Sukanan, Darunee [The Petroleum and Petrochemical College and the Center of Excellence on Petrochemical and Materials Technology, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330 (Thailand); Sahasithiwat, Somboon [National Metal and Materials Technology Center, Thailand Science Park (TSP), Khlong Luang, Pathum Thani 12120 (Thailand); Wongkasemjit, Sujitra [The Petroleum and Petrochemical College and the Center of Excellence on Petrochemical and Materials Technology, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330 (Thailand); Chaisuwan, Thanyalak, E-mail: thanyalak.c@chula.ac.th [The Petroleum and Petrochemical College and the Center of Excellence on Petrochemical and Materials Technology, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330 (Thailand)

    2015-10-15

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Activated carbon aerogel with high surface area can be prepared from polybenzoxazine. • Activated carbon aerogel enhances the adsorption capacity of gas sensor. • Organic vapors with very low concentration can be detected by the as-prepared sensor. • The as-prepared sensor shows impressive short exposure and recovery time. • The response to different organic vapors can be tailored by changing polymer matrix. - Abstract: Gas sensing composites were fabricated using polybenzoxazine-based activated carbon aerogel as a conductive filler. The activated carbon aerogel is a nano-porous material, which has high pore volume of 0.57 cm{sup 3}/g and surface area of 917 m{sup 2}/g. The activated carbon aerogel/polybutadiene composite displayed good response of 11.2 and 6.7 to toluene and n-hexane, respectively, compared to those of graphite/polybutadiene composite. The activated carbon aerogel/polybutadiene composite also showed high sensitivity of 3.09 × 10{sup 2} ppm{sup −1} to toluene. However, the sensitivity of activated carbon aerogel/polybutadiene composite drastically decreased to 1.99 ppm{sup −1} and zero when exposed to acetone and water, respectively. Contrarily, when polyvinyl alcohol was used as a matrix, the sensitivity was about 4.19 ppm{sup −1} to water. While the composite was found to be not sensitive to toluene. The activated carbon aerogel/polybutadiene composite also showed good recovery as the electrical resistance came back to the original value within minutes when exposed to nitrogen gas.

  14. Hierarchical porous carbon aerogel derived from bagasse for high performance supercapacitor electrode.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hao, Pin; Zhao, Zhenhuan; Tian, Jian; Li, Haidong; Sang, Yuanhua; Yu, Guangwei; Cai, Huaqiang; Liu, Hong; Wong, C P; Umar, Ahmad

    2014-10-21

    Renewable, cost-effective and eco-friendly electrode materials have attracted much attention in the energy conversion and storage fields. Bagasse, the waste product from sugarcane that mainly contains cellulose derivatives, can be a promising candidate to manufacture supercapacitor electrode materials. This study demonstrates the fabrication and characterization of highly porous carbon aerogels by using bagasse as a raw material. Macro and mesoporous carbon was first prepared by carbonizing the freeze-dried bagasse aerogel; consequently, microporous structure was created on the walls of the mesoporous carbon by chemical activation. Interestingly, it was observed that the specific surface area, the pore size and distribution of the hierarchical porous carbon were affected by the activation temperature. In order to evaluate the ability of the hierarchical porous carbon towards the supercapacitor electrode performance, solid state symmetric supercapacitors were assembled, and a comparable high specific capacitance of 142.1 F g(-1) at a discharge current density of 0.5 A g(-1) was demonstrated. The fabricated solid state supercapacitor displayed excellent capacitance retention of 93.9% over 5000 cycles. The high energy storage ability of the hierarchical porous carbon was attributed to the specially designed pore structures, i.e., co-existence of the micropores and mesopores. This research has demonstrated that utilization of sustainable biopolymers as the raw materials for high performance supercapacitor electrode materials is an effective way to fabricate low-cost energy storage devices.

  15. Synthesis of a highly active carbon-supported Ir-V/C catalyst for the hydrogen oxidation reaction in PEMFC

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Bing; Qiao Jinli; Yang Daijun; Zheng Junsheng; Ma Jianxin; Zhang Jiujun; Wang Haijiang

    2009-01-01

    The active, carbon-supported Ir and Ir-V nanoclusters with well-controlled particle size, dispersity, and composition uniformity, have been synthesized via an ethylene glycol method using IrCl 3 and NH 4 VO 3 as the Ir and V precursors. The nanostructured catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The catalytic activities of these carbon-supported nanoclusters were screened by applying on-line cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy techniques, which were used to characterize the electrochemical properties of fuel cells using several anode Ir/C and Ir-V/C catalysts. It was found that Ir/C and Ir-V/C catalysts affect the performance of electrocatalysts significantly based on the discharge characteristics of the fuel cell. The catalyst Ir-V/C at 40 wt.% displayed the highest catalytic activity to hydrogen oxidation reaction and, therefore, high cell performance is achieved which results in a maximum power density of 563 mW cm -2 at 0.512 V and 70 deg. C in a real H 2 /air fuel cell. This performance is 20% higher as compared to the commercial available Pt/C catalyst. Fuel cell life test at a constant current density of 1000 mA cm -2 in a H 2 /O 2 condition shows good stability of anode Ir-V/C after 100 h of continuous operation.

  16. Activated Carbon Preparation and Modification for Adsorption

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cao, Yuhe

    . The adsorption capacities of these active carbon samples were almost three times that of zeolite. However, the un-modified active carbon had the highest adsorption capacity for butanol vapor (259.6 mg g-1), compared to 222.4 mg g-1 after 10% H2O2 hydrothermal treatment. Both modified and un-modified active carbon can be easily regenerated for repeatable adsorption by heating to 150 °C. Therefore, surface oxygen groups significantly reduced the adsorption capacity of active carbons for butanol vapor. In addition, original active carbon and AC samples modified by nitric acid hydrothermal modification were assessed for their ability to adsorb butanol vapor. The specific surface area and oxygen-containing functional groups of AC were tested before and after modification. The adsorption capacity of unmodified AC samples were the highest. Hydrothermal oxidation of AC with HNO3 increased the surface oxygen content, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area, micropore, mesopore and total pore volume of AC. Although the pore structure and specific surface area were greatly improved after hydrothermal oxidization with 4 M HNO3, the increased oxygen on the surface of AC decreased the dynamic adsorption capacity. In order to get high adsorption capacity adsorbents, we used corn stalk as precursor to fabricate porous carbon. ACs were prepared through chemical activation of biochar from whole corn stalk (WCS) and corn stalk pith (CSP) at varying temperatures using potassium hydroxide as the activating agent. ACs were characterized via pore structural analysis and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). These adsorbents were then assessed for their adsorption capacity for butanol vapor. It was found that WCS activated at 900 °C for 1 h (WCS-900) had optimal butanol adsorption characteristics. The BET surface area and total pore volume of the WCS-900 were 2330 m2 g-1 and 1.29 cm3 g-1, respectively. The dynamic adsorption capacity of butanol vapor was 410.0 mg g-1, a 185.1 % increase

  17. SAXS study on activated carbons

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bota, A.; Heringer, D.; Mihalffy, T.

    1999-01-01

    SAXS fractal analysis of activated carbons is presented. It gives very useful information about the structural changes of the carbon skeleton. From the fact, that the sequence of the activation and the heat treatment affect the fractal behaviours more drastically than the particle size distribution of the structural units, it follows that all changes in the pore and matrix structure may reduce principally to the bonding of the crystallite units. (K.A.)

  18. The effect of gamma radiation on the properties of activated carbon cloth

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    DANIJELA R. SEKULIĆ

    2009-09-01

    Full Text Available Activated carbon cloth dressing is an appropriate wound healing material due to its biocompatibility and adsorption characteristics. The in-fluence of gamma radiation as a sterilization process on the adsorption and mechanical properties of activated carbon cloth was investigated. The specific surface area, micropore volume, pore size distribution, surface chemistry as well as the breaking load of activated carbon cloth before and after gamma radiation were examined. Characterization by nitrogen adsorption showed that the activated carbon cloth was a microporous material with a high specific surface area and micropores smaller than 1 nm. Gamma radiation decreased the specific surface area and micropore volume but increased the pore width. The sterilization process changed the surface chemistry quantitatively, but not qualitatively. In addition, the breaking load decreased but without any influence considering the further application of this material.

  19. Highly Enhanced Raman Scattering on Carbonized Polymer Films.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoon, Jong-Chul; Hwang, Jongha; Thiyagarajan, Pradheep; Ruoff, Rodney S; Jang, Ji-Hyun

    2017-06-28

    We have discovered a carbonized polymer film to be a reliable and durable carbon-based substrate for carbon enhanced Raman scattering (CERS). Commercially available SU8 was spin coated and carbonized (c-SU8) to yield a film optimized to have a favorable Fermi level position for efficient charge transfer, which results in a significant Raman scattering enhancement under mild measurement conditions. A highly sensitive CERS (detection limit of 10 -8 M) that was uniform over a large area was achieved on a patterned c-SU8 film and the Raman signal intensity has remained constant for 2 years. This approach works not only for the CMOS-compatible c-SU8 film but for any carbonized film with the correct composition and Fermi level, as demonstrated with carbonized-PVA (poly(vinyl alcohol)) and carbonized-PVP (polyvinylpyrollidone) films. Our study certainly expands the rather narrow range of Raman-active material platforms to include robust carbon-based films readily obtained from polymer precursors. As it uses broadly applicable and cheap polymers, it could offer great advantages in the development of practical devices for chemical/bio analysis and sensors.

  20. Nitrogen-doped porous carbon derived from biomass waste for high-performance supercapacitor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Guofu; Yang, Qian; Sun, Kanjun; Peng, Hui; Ran, Feitian; Zhao, Xiaolong; Lei, Ziqiang

    2015-12-01

    High capacitance property and low cost are the pivotal requirements for practical application of supercapacitor. In this paper, a low cost and high capacitance property nitrogen-doped porous carbon with high specific capacitance is prepared. The as-prepared nitrogen-doped porous carbon employing potato waste residue (PWR) as the carbon source, zinc chloride (ZnCl2) as the activating agent and melamine as nitrogen doping agent. The morphology and structure of the carbon materials are studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), N2 adsorption/desorption, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectra. The surface area of the nitrogen-doped carbon which prepared under 700°C is found to be 1052m(2)/g, and the specific capacitance as high as 255Fg(-1) in 2M KOH electrolyte is obtained utilize the carbon as electrode materials. The electrode materials also show excellent cyclability with 93.7% coulombic efficiency at 5Ag(-1) current density of for 5000cycles. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Synergistic interaction and controllable active sites of nitrogen and sulfur co-doping into mesoporous carbon sphere for high performance oxygen reduction electrocatalysts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oh, Taeseob; Kim, Myeongjin; Park, Dabin; Kim, Jooheon

    2018-05-01

    Nitrogen and sulfur co-doped mesoporous carbon sphere (NSMCS) was prepared as a metal-free catalyst by an economical and facile pyrolysis process. The mesoporous carbon spheres were derived from sodium carboxymethyl cellulose as the carbon source and the nitrogen and sulfur dopants were derived from urea and p-benzenedithiol, respectively. The doping level and chemical states of nitrogen and sulfur in the prepared NSMCS can be easily adjusted by controlling the pyrolysis temperature. The NSMCS pyrolyzed at 900 °C (NSMCS-900) exhibited higher oxygen reduction reaction activity than the mesoporous carbon sphere doped solely with nitrogen or sulfur, due to the synergistic effect of co-doping. Among all the NSMCS samples, NSMCS-900 exhibited excellent ORR catalytic activity owing to the presence of a highly active site, consisting of pyridinic N, graphitic N, and thiophene S. Remarkably, the NSMCS-900 catalyst was comparable with commercial Pt/C, in terms of the onset and the half-wave potentials and showed better durability than Pt/C for ORR in an alkaline electrolyte. The approach demonstrated in this work could be used to prepare promising metal-free electrocatalysts for application in energy conversion and storage.

  2. High-Level Heteroatom Doped Two-Dimensional Carbon Architectures for Highly Efficient Lithium-Ion Storage

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhijie Wang

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available In this work, high-level heteroatom doped two-dimensional hierarchical carbon architectures (H-2D-HCA are developed for highly efficient Li-ion storage applications. The achieved H-2D-HCA possesses a hierarchical 2D morphology consisting of tiny carbon nanosheets vertically grown on carbon nanoplates and containing a hierarchical porosity with multiscale pore size. More importantly, the H-2D-HCA shows abundant heteroatom functionality, with sulfur (S doping of 0.9% and nitrogen (N doping of as high as 15.5%, in which the electrochemically active N accounts for 84% of total N heteroatoms. In addition, the H-2D-HCA also has an expanded interlayer distance of 0.368 nm. When used as lithium-ion battery anodes, it shows excellent Li-ion storage performance. Even at a high current density of 5 A g−1, it still delivers a high discharge capacity of 329 mA h g−1 after 1,000 cycles. First principle calculations verifies that such unique microstructure characteristics and high-level heteroatom doping nature can enhance Li adsorption stability, electronic conductivity and Li diffusion mobility of carbon nanomaterials. Therefore, the H-2D-HCA could be promising candidates for next-generation LIB anodes.

  3. The Influence of Calcium Carbonate Composition and Activated Carbon in Pack Carburizing Low Carbon Steel Process in The Review of Hardness and Micro Structure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hafni; Hadi, Syafrul; Edison

    2017-12-01

    Carburizing is a way of hardening the surface by heating the metal (steel) above the critical temperature in an environment containing carbon. Steel at a temperature of the critical temperature of affinity to carbon. Carbon is absorbed into the metal form a solid solution of carbon-iron and the outer layer has high carbon content. When the composition of the activator and the activated charcoal is right, it will perfect the carbon atoms to diffuse into the test material to low carbon steels. Thick layer of carbon Depending on the time and temperature are used. Pack carburizing process in this study, using 1 kg of solid carbon derived from coconut shell charcoal with a variation of 20%, 10% and 5% calcium carbonate activator, burner temperature of 950 0C, holding time 4 hours. The test material is low carbon steel has 9 pieces. Each composition has three specimens. Furnace used in this study is a pack carburizing furnace which has a designed burner box with a volume of 1000 x 600 x 400 (mm3) of coal-fired. Equipped with a circulation of oxygen from the blower 2 inches and has a wall of refractory bricks. From the variation of composition CaCO3, microstructure formed on the specimen with 20% CaCO3, better diffusion of carbon into the carbon steel, it is seen by the form marten site structure after quenching, and this indicates that there has been an increase of or adding carbon to in the specimen. This led to the formation of marten site specimen into hard surfaces, where the average value of hardness at one point side (side edge) 31.7 HRC

  4. Bio-Inspired Carbon Monoxide Sensors with Voltage-Activated Sensitivity

    KAUST Repository

    Savagatrup, Suchol

    2017-09-27

    Carbon monoxide (CO) outcompetes oxygen when binding to the iron center of hemeproteins, leading to a reduction in blood oxygen level and acute poisoning. Harvesting the strong specific interaction between CO and the iron porphyrin provides a highly selective and customizable sensor. We report the development of chemiresistive sensors with voltage-activated sensitivity for the detection of CO comprising iron porphyrin and functionalized single-walled carbon nanotubes (F-SWCNTs). Modulation of the gate voltage offers a predicted extra dimension for sensing. Specifically, the sensors show a significant increase in sensitivity toward CO when negative gate voltage is applied. The dosimetric sensors are selective to ppm levels of CO and functional in air. UV/Vis spectroscopy, differential pulse voltammetry, and density functional theory reveal that the in situ reduction of FeIII to FeII enhances the interaction between the F-SWCNTs and CO. Our results illustrate a new mode of sensors wherein redox active recognition units are voltage-activated to give enhanced and highly specific responses.

  5. Aligned Carbon Nanotubes for Highly Efficient Energy Generation and Storage Devices

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-01-24

    solution processing methods, including filtration, solution-casting, electrophoretic deposition, and Langmuir - Blodgett deposition. However, most...supercapacitors with environmentally friendly ionic liquid electrolytes. These new nanocomposite electrodes consist of the high-surface-area activated...carbons, carbon nanotubes, and ionic liquids as the integrated constituent components. The resultant composites show significantly improved charge

  6. Effect of activated carbon and electrolyte on properties of supercapacitor

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    2007-01-01

    Effect of activated carbon and electrolyte on electrochemical properties of organic supercapacitor was investigated. The results show that specific surface area and mesoporosity of activated carbon influence specific capacitance. If specific surface area is larger and mesoporosity is higher, the specific capacitance will become bigger. Specific surface area influences resistance of carbon electrode and consequently influences power property and pore size distribution. If specific surface area is smaller and mesoporosity is higher, the power property will become better. Ash influences leakage current and electrochemical cycling stability. If ash content is lower, the performance will become better. The properties of supercapacitor highly depend on the electrolyte. The compatibility of electrolyte and activated carbon is a determining factor of supercapacitor's working voltage. LiPF6/(EC+EMC+DMC) is inappropriate for double layer capacitor. MeEt3NPF4/PC has higher specific capacitance than EtnNPFn/PC because methyl's electronegativity value is lower than ethyl and MeEt3N+ has more positive charges and stronger polarizability than Et4N+ when an ethyl is substituted by methyl.

  7. Preparation of activated carbon from waste plastics polyethylene terephthalate as adsorbent in natural gas storage

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yuliusman; Nasruddin; Sanal, A.; Bernama, A.; Haris, F.; Ramadhan, I. T.

    2017-02-01

    The main problem is the process of natural gas storage and distribution, because in normal conditions of natural gas in the gas phase causes the storage capacity be small and efficient to use. The technology is commonly used Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). The weakness of this technology safety level is low because the requirement for high-pressure CNG (250 bar) and LNG requires a low temperature (-161°C). It takes innovation in the storage of natural gas using the technology ANG (Adsorbed Natural Gas) with activated carbon as an adsorbent, causing natural gas can be stored in a low pressure of about 34.5. In this research, preparation of activated carbon using waste plastic polyethylene terephthalate (PET). PET plastic waste is a good raw material for making activated carbon because of its availability and the price is a lot cheaper. Besides plastic PET has the appropriate characteristics as activated carbon raw material required for the storage of natural gas because the material is hard and has a high carbon content of about 62.5% wt. The process of making activated carbon done is carbonized at a temperature of 400 ° C and physical activation using CO2 gas at a temperature of 975 ° C. The parameters varied in the activation process is the flow rate of carbon dioxide and activation time. The results obtained in the carbonization process yield of 21.47%, while the yield on the activation process by 62%. At the optimum process conditions, the CO2 flow rate of 200 ml/min and the activation time of 240 minutes, the value % burn off amounted to 86.69% and a surface area of 1591.72 m2/g.

  8. Measurement of carbon activity in sodium and steel and the behaviour of carbon-bearing species

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rajendran Pillai, S.; Ranganathan, R.; Mathews, C.K.

    1988-01-01

    Carburization or decarburization of structural materials in a sodium system depends on the local differences in carbon activity. The behaviour of carbon-bearing species in sodium influences its carbon activity. In order to understand the behaviour of carbon in these systems, an electrochemical carbon meter was fabricated in our laboratory. The original version of this meter was capable of operating in the temperature range of 850-980 K. Studies are carried out to extend this lower limit of temperature. Employing the carbon meter, experiments were carried out to understand the behaviour of carbon-bearing species. Gas equilibration experiments were also carried out with the same view. A new method for measuring the carbon activity in steels are described which employs the carbon meter. A review on these investigations and the conclusions reached on the behaviour of carbon in fast reactor loops are described

  9. Adsorption/oxidation of sulfur-containing gases on nitrogen-doped activated carbon

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Liu Qiang

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Coconut shell-based activated carbon (CAC was used for the removal of methyl mercaptan (MM. CAC was modified by urea impregnation and calcined at 450°C and 950°C. The desulfurization activity was determined in a fixed bed reactor under room temperature. The results showed that the methyl mercaptan adsorption/oxidation capacity of modified carbon caicined at 950°C is more than 3 times the capacity of original samples. On the other hand, the modified carbon caicined at 950°C also has a high capacity for the simultaneous adsorption/oxidation of methyl mercaptan and hydrogen sulfide.The introduce of basic nitrogen groups siginificantly increases the desulfurization since it can facilitate the electron transfer process between sulfur and oxygen. The structure and chemical properties are characterized using Boehm titration, N2 adsorption-desorption method, thermal analysis and elemental analysis. The results showed that the major oxidation products were dimethyl disulfide and methanesulfonic acid which adsorbed in the activated carbon.

  10. Adsorption characteristics of benzene on biosolid adsorbent and commercial activated carbons.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chiang, Hung-Lung; Lin, Kuo-Hsiung; Chen, Chih-Yu; Choa, Ching-Guan; Hwu, Ching-Shyung; Lai, Nina

    2006-05-01

    This study selected biosolids from a petrochemical waste-water treatment plant as the raw material. The sludge was immersed in 0.5-5 M of zinc chloride (ZnCl2) solutions and pyrolyzed at different temperatures and times. Results indicated that the 1-M ZnCl2-immersed biosolids pyrolyzed at 500 degrees C for 30 min could be reused and were optimal biosolid adsorbents for benzene adsorption. Pore volume distribution analysis indicated that the mesopore contributed more than the macropore and micropore in the biosolid adsorbent. The benzene adsorption capacity of the biosolid adsorbent was 65 and 55% of the G206 (granular-activated carbon) and BPL (coal-based activated carbon; Calgon, Carbon Corp.) activated carbons, respectively. Data from the adsorption and desorption cycles indicated that the benzene adsorption capacity of the biosolid adsorbent was insignificantly reduced compared with the first-run capacity of the adsorbent; therefore, the biosolid adsorbent could be reused as a commercial adsorbent, although its production cost is high.

  11. Synthesis of sulfonated porous carbon nanospheres solid acid by a facile chemical activation route

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chang, Binbin, E-mail: changbinbin806@163.com; Guo, Yanzhen; Yin, Hang; Zhang, Shouren; Yang, Baocheng, E-mail: baochengyang@yahoo.com

    2015-01-15

    Generally, porous carbon nanospheres materials are usually prepared via a template method, which is a multi-steps and high-cost strategy. Here, we reported a porous carbon nanosphere solid acid with high surface area and superior porosity, as well as uniform nanospheical morphology, which prepared by a facile chemical activation with ZnCl{sub 2} using resorcinol-formaldehyde (RF) resins spheres as precursor. The activation of RF resins spheres by ZnCl{sub 2} at 400 °C brought high surface area and large volume, and simultaneously retained numerous oxygen-containing and hydrogen-containing groups due to the relatively low processing temperature. The presence of these functional groups is favorable for the modification of –SO{sub 3}H groups by a followed sulfonation treating with sulphuric acid and organic sulfonic acid. The results of N{sub 2} adsorption–desorption and electron microscopy clearly showed the preservation of porous structure and nanospherical morphology. Infrared spectra certified the variation of surface functional groups after activation and the successful modification of –SO{sub 3}H groups after sulfonation. The acidities of catalysts were estimated by an indirect titration method and the modified amount of –SO{sub 3}H groups were examined by energy dispersive spectra. The results suggested sulfonated porous carbon nanospheres catalysts possessed high acidities and –SO{sub 3}H densities, which endowed their significantly catalytic activities for biodiesel production. Furthermore, their excellent stability and recycling property were also demonstrated by five consecutive cycles. - Graphical abstract: Sulfonated porous carbon nanospheres with high surface area and superior catalytic performance were prepared by a facile chemical activation route. - Highlights: • Porous carbon spheres solid acid prepared by a facile chemical activation. • It owns high surface area, superior porosity and uniform spherical morphology. • It possesses

  12. Characterization of activated carbon produced from urban organic waste

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abdul Gani Haji

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available The difficulties to decompose organic waste can be handled naturally by pyrolisis so it can  decomposes quickly that produces charcoal as the product. This study aims to investigate the characteristics of activated carbon from urban organic waste. Charcoal results of pyrolysis of organic waste activated with KOH 1.0 M at a temperature of 700 and 800oC for 60 to 120 minutes. Characteristics of activated carbon were identified by Furrier Transform Infra Red (FTIR, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM, and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD. However, their quality is determined yield, moisture content, ash, fly substances, fixed carbon, and the power of adsorption of iodine and benzene. The identified functional groups on activated carbon, such as OH (3448,5-3436,9 cm-1, and C=O (1639,4 cm-1. In general, the degree and distance between the layers of active carbon crystallites produced activation in all treatments showed no significant difference. The pattern of activated carbon surface topography structure shows that the greater the pore formation in accordance with the temperature increase the more activation time needed. The yield of activated carbon obtained ranged from 72.04 to 82.75%. The results of characterization properties of activated carbon was obtained from 1.11 to 5.41% water, 13.68 to 17.27% substance fly, 20.36 to 26.59% ash, and 56.14 to 62.31% of fixed carbon . Absorption of activated carbon was good enough at 800oC and 120 minutes of activation time, that was equal to 409.52 mg/g of iodine and 14.03% of benzene. Activated carbon produced has less good quality, because only the water content and flying substances that meet the standards.Doi: 10.12777/ijse.5.2.89-94 [How to cite this article: Haji, A.G., Pari, G., Nazar, M., and Habibati.  (2013. Characterization of activated carbon produced from urban organic waste . International Journal of Science and Engineering, 5(2,89-94. Doi: 10.12777/ijse.5.2.89-94

  13. Porous structure and surface chemistry of phosphoric acid activated carbon from corncob

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sych, N. V.; Trofymenko, S. I.; Poddubnaya, O. I.; Tsyba, M. M.; Sapsay, V. I.; Klymchuk, D. O.; Puziy, A. M.

    2012-11-01

    Active carbons have been prepared from corncob using chemical activation with phosphoric acid at 400 °C using varied ratio of impregnation (RI). Porous structure of carbons was characterized by nitrogen adsorption and scanning electron microscopy. Surface chemistry was studied by IR and potentiometric titration method. It has been shown that porosity development was peaked at RI = 1.0 (SBET = 2081 m2/g, Vtot = 1.1 cm3/g), while maximum amount of acid surface groups was observed at RI = 1.25. Acid surface groups of phosphoric acid activated carbons from corncob includes phosphate and strongly acidic carboxylic (pK = 2.0-2.6), weakly acidic carboxylic (pK = 4.7-5.0), enol/lactone (pK = 6.7-7.4; 8.8-9.4) and phenol (pK = 10.1-10.7). Corncob derived carbons showed high adsorption capacity to copper, especially at low pH. Maximum adsorption of methylene blue and iodine was observed for carbon with most developed porosity (RI = 1.0).

  14. Preparation of granular activated carbons from yellow mombin fruit stones for CO2 adsorption.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fiuza, Raildo Alves; Medeiros de Jesus Neto, Raimundo; Correia, Laise Bacelar; Carvalho Andrade, Heloysa Martins

    2015-09-15

    Stones of yellow mombin, a native fruit of the tropical America and West Indies, were used as starting materials to produce activated carbons, subsequently used as adsorbent for CO2 capture. The carbonaceous materials were either chemically activated with HNO3, H3PO4 and KOH or physically activated with CO2. The carbon samples were characterized by SEM, EDX, TG/DTA, Raman spectroscopy, physical adsorption for textural analysis and by acid-base titrations. The CO2 adsorption capacity and adsorption cycles were investigated by TG. The results indicate that the capacity of CO2 adsorption may be maximized on highly basic surfaces of micropores smaller than 1 nm. The KOH activated carbon showed high and stable capacity of CO2 adsorption after 10 cycles. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Tetracycline removal from water by adsorption/bioadsorption on activated carbons and sludge-derived adsorbents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rivera-Utrilla, José; Gómez-Pacheco, Carla V; Sánchez-Polo, Manuel; López-Peñalver, Jesús J; Ocampo-Pérez, Raúl

    2013-12-15

    The objective of this study was to analyze the behavior of activated carbons with different chemical and textural natures in the adsorption of three tetracyclines (TCs) (tetracycline, oxytetracycline, and chlortetracycline). We also assessed the influence of the solution pH and ionic strength on the adsorption of these compounds and studied their removal by the combined use of microorganisms and activated carbon (bioadsorption). Sludge-derived materials were also used to remove TC from water. The capacity of these materials to adsorb TC was very high and was much greater than that of commercial activated carbon. This elevated adsorption capacity (512.1-672.0 mg/g) is explained by the high tendency of TC to form complex ions with some of the metal ions present in these materials. The medium pH and presence of electrolytes considerably affected TCs adsorption on commercial activated carbon. These results indicate that electrostatic adsorbent-adsorbate interactions play an important role in TC adsorption processes when conducted at pH values that produce TC deprotonation. The presence of bacteria during the TCs adsorption process decreases their adsorption/bioadsorption on the commercial activated carbon, weakening interactions between the adsorbate and the microfilm formed on the carbon surface. The adsorptive capacity was considerably lower in dynamic versus static regime, attributable to problems of TC diffusion into carbon pores and the shorter contact time between adsorbate and adsorbent. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. A highly permeable and enhanced surface area carbon-cloth electrode for vanadium redox flow batteries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, X. L.; Zhao, T. S.; Zeng, Y. K.; An, L.; Wei, L.

    2016-10-01

    In this work, a high-performance porous electrode, made of KOH-activated carbon-cloth, is developed for vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs). The macro-scale porous structure in the carbon cloth formed by weaving the carbon fibers in an ordered manner offers a low tortuosity (∼1.1) and a broad pore distribution from 5 μm to 100 μm, rendering the electrode a high hydraulic permeability and high effective ionic conductivity, which are beneficial for the electrolyte flow and ion transport through the porous electrode. The use of KOH activation method to create nano-scale pores on the carbon-fiber surfaces leads to a significant increase in the surface area for redox reactions from 2.39 m2 g-1 to 15.4 m2 g-1. The battery assembled with the present electrode delivers an energy efficiency of 80.1% and an electrolyte utilization of 74.6% at a current density of 400 mA cm-2, as opposed to an electrolyte utilization of 61.1% achieved by using a conventional carbon-paper electrode. Such a high performance is mainly attributed to the combination of the excellent mass/ion transport properties and the high surface area rendered by the present electrode. It is suggested that the KOH-activated carbon-cloth electrode is a promising candidate in redox flow batteries.

  17. Carbon Dioxide Mitigation Benefit of High-Speed Railway in Terms of Carbon Tax

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fu Yanbing

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper calculates the carbon dioxide mitigation benefit of high-speed railway based on the carbon dioxide tax policy. We define the carbon dioxide emission system boundary for high-speed railway in its whole life cycle and estimate the life cycle carbon dioxide inventories during its construction, application, and recovery stages. And then we establish a theoretical model to calculate the life cycle carbon dioxide mitigation quantity for high-speed railway when compared with road transport and then calculate its carbon dioxide mitigation benefit. The numerical example shows that the carbon dioxide mitigation benefit of high-speed railway is better than that of road transport from the whole life cycle perspective.

  18. Adsorption of mercury by activated carbon prepared from dried sewage sludge in simulated flue gas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Jeongmin; Lee, Sang-Sup

    2018-04-25

    Conversion of sewage sludge to activated carbon is attractive as an alternative method to ocean dumping for the disposal of sewage sludge. Injection of activated carbon upstream of particulate matter control devices has been suggested as a method to remove elemental mercury from flue gas. Activated carbon was prepared using various activation temperatures and times and was tested for their mercury adsorption efficiency using lab-scale systems. To understand the effect of the physical property of the activated carbon, its mercury adsorption efficiency was investigated as a function of their Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area. Two simulated flue gas conditions: (1) without hydrogen chloride (HCl) and (2) with 20 ppm HCl, were used to investigate the effect of flue gas composition on the mercury adsorption capacity of activated carbon. Despite very low BET surface area of the prepared sewage sludge activated carbons, their mercury adsorption efficiencies were comparable under both simulated flue gas conditions to those of pinewood and coal activated carbons. After injecting HCl into the simulated flue gas, all sewage sludge activated carbons demonstrated high adsorption efficiencies, i.e., more than 87%, regardless of their BET surface area. IMPLICATIONS We tested activated carbons prepared from dried sewage sludge to investigate the effect of their physical properties on their mercury adsorption efficiency. Using two simulated flue gas conditions, we conducted mercury speciation for the outlet gas. We found that the sewage sludge activated carbon had comparable mercury adsorption efficiency to pinewood and coal activated carbons, and the presence of HCl minimized the effect of physical property of the activated carbon on its mercury adsorption efficiency.

  19. Supercapacitors: A Hierarchical Carbon Derived from Sponge-Templated Activation of Graphene Oxide for High-Performance Supercapacitor Electrodes (Adv. Mater. 26/2016).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Jin; Tan, Ziqi; Zeng, Wencong; Chen, Guanxiong; Wu, Shuilin; Zhao, Yuan; Ni, Kun; Tao, Zhuchen; Ikram, Mujtaba; Ji, Hengxing; Zhu, Yanwu

    2016-07-01

    H. Ji, Y. Zhu, and co-workers demonstrate a 3D hierarchically porous carbon by introducing a polyurethane sponge to template graphene oxide into a 3D interconnected structure while KOH activation generates abundant micropores in its backbone. As described on page 5222, a supercapacitor assembled with this carbon material achieves a high energy density of 89 W h kg(-1) (64 W h L(-1) ) and outstanding power density due to its shortened ion transport distance in three dimensions. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  20. Activation of magnesium rich minerals as carbonation feedstock materials for CO2 sequestration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Maroto-Valer, M.M.; Kuchta, M.E.; Zhang, Y.; Andresen, J.M.; Fauth, D.J.

    2005-01-01

    Mineral carbonation, the reaction of magnesium-rich minerals such as olivine and serpentine with CO 2 to form stable mineral carbonates, is a novel and promising approach to carbon sequestration. However, the preparation of the minerals prior to carbonation can be energy intensive, where some current studies have been exploring extensive pulverization of the minerals below 37 μm, heat treatment of minerals up to 650 o C, prior separation of CO 2 from flue gases, and carbonation at high pressures, temperatures and long reaction times of up to 125 atm, 185 o C and 6 h, respectively. Thus, the objective of the mineral activation concept is to promote and accelerate carbonation reaction rates and efficiencies through surface activation to the extent that such rigorous reaction conditions were not required. The physical activations were performed with air and steam, while chemical activations were performed with a suite of acids and bases. The parent serpentine, activated serpentines, and carbonation products were characterized to determine their surface properties and assess their potential as carbonation minerals. The results indicate that the surface area of the raw serpentine, which is approximately 8 m 2 /g, can be increased through physical and chemical activation methods to over 330 m 2 /g. The chemical activations were more effective than the physical activations at increasing the surface area, with the 650 o C steam activated serpentine presenting a surface area of only 17 m 2 /g. Sulfuric acid was the most effective acid used during the chemical activations, resulting in surface areas greater than 330 m 2 /g. Several of the samples produced underwent varying degrees of carbonation. The steam activated serpentine underwent a 60% conversion to magnesite at 155 o C and 126 atm in 1 h, while the parent sample only exhibited a 7% conversion. The most promising results came from the carbonation of the extracted Mg(OH) 2 solution, where, based on the amount of

  1. Grafting of activated carbon cloths for selective adsorption

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gineys, M.; Benoit, R.; Cohaut, N.; Béguin, F.; Delpeux-Ouldriane, S., E-mail: delpeux@cnrs-orleans.fr

    2016-05-01

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • A controlled grafting of carboxylic functions on activated carbon fibers. • The carbon material nanotextural properties preservation after grafting. • An identification of the grafting mechanism through ToF SIMS analysis. • A chemical mapping of the grafted surface using ToF SIMS technique and imaging. - Abstract: Chemical functionalization of an activated carbon cloth with 3-aminophthalic acid and 4-aminobenzoic acid groups by the in situ formation of the corresponding diazonium salt in aqueous acidic solution is reported. The nature and amount of selected functions on an activated carbon surface, in particular the grafted density, were determined by potentiometric titration, elemental analysis and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The nanotextural properties of the modified carbon were explored by gas adsorption. Functionalized activated carbon cloth was obtained at a discrete grafting level while preserving interesting textural properties and a large porous volume. Finally, the grafting homogeneity of the carbon surface and the nature of the chemical bonding were investigated using Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) technique.

  2. Utilization of turkey manure as granular activated carbon: physical, chemical and adsorptive properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lima, Isabel; Marshall, Wayne E

    2005-01-01

    The high availability of large quantities of turkey manure generated from turkey production makes it an attractive feedstock for carbon production. Pelletized samples of turkey litter and cake were converted to granular activated carbons (GACs) by steam activation. Water flow rate and activation time were changed to produce a range of activation conditions. The GACs were characterized for select physical (yield, surface area, bulk density, attrition), chemical (pH, surface charge) and adsorptive properties (copper ion uptake). Carbon physical and adsorptive properties were dependent on activation time and quantity of steam used as activant. Yields varied from 23% to 37%, surface area varied from 248 to 472 m(2)/g and copper ion adsorption varied from 0.72 to 1.86 mmol Cu(2+)/g carbon. Copper ion adsorption greatly exceeded the values for two commercial GACs. GACs from turkey litter and cake show considerable potential to remove metal ions from water.

  3. Activated carbon-supported CuO nanoparticles: a hybrid material for carbon dioxide adsorption

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boruban, Cansu; Esenturk, Emren Nalbant

    2018-03-01

    Activated carbon-supported copper(II) oxide (CuO) nanoparticles were synthesized by simple impregnation method to improve carbon dioxide (CO2) adsorption capacity of the support. The structural and chemical properties of the hybrid material were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), X-ray diffraction (https://www.google.com.tr/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CCsQFjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.intertek.com%2Fanalytical-laboratories%2Fxrd%2F&ei=-5WZVYSCHISz7Aatqq-IAw&usg=AFQjCNFBlk-9wqy49foh8tskmbD-GGbG9g&sig2=eKrhYjO75rl_Id2sLGpq4w&bvm=bv.96952980,d.bGg) (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analyses. The analyses showed that CuO nanoparticles are well-distributed on the activated carbon surface. The CO2 adsorption behavior of the activated carbon-supported CuO nanoparticles was observed by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), temperature programmed desorption (TPD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and BET analyses. The results showed that CuO nanoparticle loading on activated carbon led to about 70% increase in CO2 adsorption capacity of activated carbon under standard conditions (1 atm and 298 K). The main contributor to the observed increase is an improvement in chemical adsorption of CO2 due to the presence of CuO nanoparticles on activated carbon.

  4. Pollutants removal onto novel activated carbons made from lignocellulosic precursors

    OpenAIRE

    Valente Nabais, Joao; Laginhas, Carlos; Carrott, Manuela; Carrott, Peter; Gomes, Jose; Suhas, Suhas; Ramires, Ana; Roman, Silvia

    2009-01-01

    The adsorption of phenol and mercury from dilute aqueous solutions onto new activated carbons was studied. These included activated carbons produced from novel precursors, namely rapeseed, vine shoots and kenaf, and samples oxidised with nitric acid in liquid phase. The results have shown the significant potential of rapeseed, vine shoots and kenaf for the activated carbon production. The activated carbons produced by carbon dioxide activation were mainly microporous with BET apparent surface...

  5. Highly ordered macroporous woody biochar with ultra-high carbon content as supercapacitor electrodes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jiang, Junhua; Zhang, Lei; Wang, Xinying; Holm, Nancy; Rajagopalan, Kishore; Chen, Fanglin; Ma, Shuguo

    2013-01-01

    Woody biochar monolith with ultra-high carbon content and highly ordered macropores has been prepared via one-pot pyrolysis and carbonization of red cedar wood at 750 °C without the need of post-treatment. Energy-dispersive spectroscope (EDX) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) studies show that the original biochar has a carbon content of 98 wt% with oxygen as the only detectable impurity and highly ordered macroporous texture characterized by alternating regular macroporous regions and narrow porous regions. Moreover, the hierarchically porous biochar monolith has a high BET specific surface area of approximately 400 m 2 g −1 . We have studied the monolith material as supercapacitor electrodes under acidic environment using electrochemical and surface characterization techniques. Electrochemical measurements show that the original biochar electrodes have a potential window of about 1.3 V and exhibit typical rectangular-shape voltammetric responses and fast charging–discharging behavior with a gravimetric capacitance of about 14 F g −1 . Simple activation of biochar in diluted nitric acid at room temperature leads to 7 times increase in the capacitance (115 F g −1 ). Because the HNO 3 -activation slightly decreases rather than increases the BET surface area of the biochar, an increase in the coverage of surface oxygen groups is the most likely origin of the substantial capacitance improvement. This is supported by EDX, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Raman measurements. Preliminary life-time studies show that biochar supercapacitors using the original and HNO 3 -activated electrodes are stable over 5000 cycles without performance decays. These facts indicate that the use of woody biochar is promising for its low cost and it can be a good performance electrode with low environmental impacts for supercapacitor applications

  6. Activated carbons employed to remove ionic liquids from aqueous solutions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hassan, S.; Farooq, A.; Ahmad, M.A.; Irfan, N.; Tufail, M.

    2011-01-01

    Imidazolium and pyridinium based ionic liquids (ILs) have been separated from aqueous solutions by adsorption using a raw Chinese activated carbon (CAC), a bleached Chinese activated carbon (BAC) and an acid treated Chinese activated carbon (AAC) as adsorbent. Adsorption isotherms data of ionic liquids on activated carbons has been obtained. The influence of both cations and anions was analyzed by studying three different ILs. The role of surface chemistry of the adsorbent was also examined using activated carbons modified by oxidative treatments. The BET surface area of activated carbons was measured by nitrogen adsorption. The results of this work indicate that activated carbon is an attractive adsorbent to remove ionic liquids from water streams. It has also been demonstrated that the adsorption of hydrophilic ionic liquids can be improved by modifying the amount and nature of oxygen groups on the activated carbon surface specially by increasing basic groups. The adsorption data for isotherms was studied at acidic, neutral and basic pH values. (author)

  7. Textural and chemical properties of zinc chloride activated carbons prepared from pistachio-nut shells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ting, Yang [School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798 (Singapore); Lua, Aik Chong [School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798 (Singapore)

    2006-12-10

    The effects of activation temperature on the textural and chemical properties of the activated carbons prepared from pistachio-nut shells using zinc chloride activation under both inert nitrogen gas atmosphere and vacuum condition were studied. Relatively low temperature of 400 deg. C was beneficial for the development of pore structures. Too high an activation temperature would lead to sintering of volatiles and shrinkage of the carbon structure. The microstructures and microcrystallinity of the activated carbons prepared were examined by scanning electron microscope and powder X-ray diffraction techniques, respectively, while Fourier transform infrared spectra determined the changes in the surface functional groups at the various stages of preparation.

  8. Textural and chemical properties of zinc chloride activated carbons prepared from pistachio-nut shells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang Ting; Lua, Aik Chong

    2006-01-01

    The effects of activation temperature on the textural and chemical properties of the activated carbons prepared from pistachio-nut shells using zinc chloride activation under both inert nitrogen gas atmosphere and vacuum condition were studied. Relatively low temperature of 400 deg. C was beneficial for the development of pore structures. Too high an activation temperature would lead to sintering of volatiles and shrinkage of the carbon structure. The microstructures and microcrystallinity of the activated carbons prepared were examined by scanning electron microscope and powder X-ray diffraction techniques, respectively, while Fourier transform infrared spectra determined the changes in the surface functional groups at the various stages of preparation

  9. Single, competitive, and dynamic adsorption on activated carbon of compounds used as plasticizers and herbicides.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abdel daiem, Mahmoud M; Rivera-Utrilla, José; Sánchez-Polo, Manuel; Ocampo-Pérez, Raúl

    2015-12-15

    The main aim of this study was to investigate the single, competitive, and dynamic adsorption of phthalic acid (PA), bisphenol A (BPA), diphenolic acid (DPA), 2,4-dichlorophenoxy-acetic acid (2,4-D), and 4-chloro-2-methylphenoxyacetic acid (MCPA) on two activated carbons with different chemical natures and similar textural characteristics. The adsorption mechanism was also elucidated by analyzing the influence of solution pH and ionic strength. The activated carbons demonstrated high adsorption capacity to remove all micropollutants due to the presence of active sites on their surfaces, which increase dispersive interactions between the activated carbon graphene layers and the aromatic ring of pollutants. The adsorption capacity of the activated carbons increased in the order: DPApH (pHactivated carbon decreased by around 50% and 70% in the presence of DPA and BPA, respectively, indicating that both compounds are adsorbed on the same adsorption sites of the activated carbon. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Ultrahigh Ductility, High-Carbon Martensitic Steel

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qin, Shengwei; Liu, Yu; Hao, Qingguo; Zuo, Xunwei; Rong, Yonghua; Chen, Nailu

    2016-10-01

    Based on the proposed design idea of the anti-transformation-induced plasticity effect, both the additions of the Nb element and pretreatment of the normalization process as a novel quenching-partitioning-tempering (Q-P-T) were designed for Fe-0.63C-1.52Mn-1.49Si-0.62Cr-0.036Nb hot-rolled steel. This high-carbon Q-P-T martensitic steel exhibits a tensile strength of 1890 MPa and elongation of 29 pct accompanied by the excellent product of tensile and elongation of 55 GPa pct. The origin of ultrahigh ductility for high-carbon Q-P-T martensitic steel is revealed from two aspects: one is the softening of martensitic matrix due to both the depletion of carbon in the matensitic matrix during the Q-P-T process by partitioning of carbon from supersaturated martensite to retained austenite and the reduction of the dislocation density in a martensitic matrix by dislocation absorption by retained austenite effect during deformation, which significantly enhances the deformation ability of martensitic matrix; another is the high mechanical stability of considerable carbon-enriched retained austenite, which effectively reduces the formation of brittle twin-type martensite. This work verifies the correctness of the design idea of the anti-TRIP effect and makes the third-generation advanced high-strength steels extend to the field of high-carbon steels from low- and medium-carbon steels.

  11. A General Methodology for Evaluation of Carbon Sequestration Activities and Carbon Credits

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Klasson, KT

    2002-12-23

    A general methodology was developed for evaluation of carbon sequestration technologies. In this document, we provide a method that is quantitative, but is structured to give qualitative comparisons despite changes in detailed method parameters, i.e., it does not matter what ''grade'' a sequestration technology gets but a ''better'' technology should receive a better grade. To meet these objectives, we developed and elaborate on the following concepts: (1) All resources used in a sequestration activity should be reviewed by estimating the amount of greenhouse gas emissions for which they historically are responsible. We have done this by introducing a quantifier we term Full-Cycle Carbon Emissions, which is tied to the resource. (2) The future fate of sequestered carbon should be included in technology evaluations. We have addressed this by introducing a variable called Time-adjusted Value of Carbon Sequestration to weigh potential future releases of carbon, escaping the sequestered form. (3) The Figure of Merit of a sequestration technology should address the entire life-cycle of an activity. The figures of merit we have developed relate the investment made (carbon release during the construction phase) to the life-time sequestration capacity of the activity. To account for carbon flows that occur during different times of an activity we incorporate the Time Value of Carbon Flows. The methodology we have developed can be expanded to include financial, social, and long-term environmental aspects of a sequestration technology implementation. It does not rely on global atmospheric modeling efforts but is consistent with these efforts and could be combined with them.

  12. Preparation of nanoporous activated carbon and its application as nano adsorbent for CO2 storage

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rashidi, Ali Morad; Kazemi, Davood; Izadi, Nosrat; Pourkhalil, Mahnaz; Jorsaraei, Abbas; Lotfi, Roghayeh; Ganji, Enseyeh

    2016-01-01

    Nanoporous activated carbons, as adsorbent for CO 2 storage, were prepared from walnut shells via two chemical processes including phosphoric acid treatment and KOH activation at high temperature. Specific surface area and porosities were controlled by KOH concentration and activation temperature. The obtained adsorbents were characterized by N2 adsorption at 77.3 K. Their carbon dioxide adsorption capacities were measured at different pressures at 290 K by using volumetric adsorption equipment. The KOH-treated nanoporous carbons typically led to the production of high specific surface areas and high micropore volumes and showed better performance for CO 2 adsorptions. The maximum experimental value for adsorption capacity happened when pressure increased from 5 to 10 bar (1.861- 2.873mmol·g -1 ). It was found that in order to improve the highest capacity of CO 2 adsorption for KOH-modified carbon (9.830-18.208mmol·g -1 ), a KOH: C weight ratio of 3.5 and activation temperature of 973 K were more suitable for pore development and micro-mesopore volume enhancement.

  13. Removal of Heavy Metal Ions with Acid Activated Carbons Derived from Oil Palm and Coconut Shells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rahman, Mokhlesur M.; Adil, Mohd; Yusof, Alias M.; Kamaruzzaman, Yunus B.; Ansary, Rezaul H.

    2014-01-01

    In this work, batch adsorption experiments were carried out to investigate the suitability of prepared acid activated carbons in removing heavy metal ions such as nickel(II), lead(II) and chromium(VI). Acid activated carbons were obtained from oil palm and coconut shells using phosphoric acid under similar activation process while the differences lie either in impregnation condition or in both pretreatment and impregnation conditions. Prepared activated carbons were modified by dispersing hydrated iron oxide. The adsorption equilibrium data for nickel(II) and lead(II) were obtained from adsorption by the prepared and commercial activated carbons. Langmuir and Freundlich models fit the data well. Prepared activated carbons showed higher adsorption capacity for nickel(II) and lead(II). The removal of chromium(VI) was studied by the prepared acid activated, modified and commercial activated carbons at different pH. The isotherms studies reveal that the prepared activated carbon performs better in low concentration region while the commercial ones in the high concentration region. Thus, a complete adsorption is expected in low concentration by the prepared activated carbon. The kinetics data for Ni(II), Pb(II) and Cr(VI) by the best selected activated carbon fitted very well to the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. PMID:28788640

  14. Removal of Heavy Metal Ions with Acid Activated Carbons Derived from Oil Palm and Coconut Shells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mokhlesur M. Rahman

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available In this work, batch adsorption experiments were carried out to investigate the suitability of prepared acid activated carbons in removing heavy metal ions such as nickel(II, lead(II and chromium(VI. Acid activated carbons were obtained from oil palm and coconut shells using phosphoric acid under similar activation process while the differences lie either in impregnation condition or in both pretreatment and impregnation conditions. Prepared activated carbons were modified by dispersing hydrated iron oxide. The adsorption equilibrium data for nickel(II and lead(II were obtained from adsorption by the prepared and commercial activated carbons. Langmuir and Freundlich models fit the data well. Prepared activated carbons showed higher adsorption capacity for nickel(II and lead(II. The removal of chromium(VI was studied by the prepared acid activated, modified and commercial activated carbons at different pH. The isotherms studies reveal that the prepared activated carbon performs better in low concentration region while the commercial ones in the high concentration region. Thus, a complete adsorption is expected in low concentration by the prepared activated carbon. The kinetics data for Ni(II, Pb(II and Cr(VI by the best selected activated carbon fitted very well to the pseudo-second-order kinetic model.

  15. Converting biowaste corncob residue into high value added porous carbon for supercapacitor electrodes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qu, Wen-Hui; Xu, Yuan-Yuan; Lu, An-Hui; Zhang, Xiang-Qian; Li, Wen-Cui

    2015-08-01

    In this report, corncob residue, the main by-product in the furfural industry, is used as a precursor to prepare porous carbon by a simple and direct thermal treatment: one-step activation without pre-carbonization. As a consequence, the corncob residue derived porous carbon achieves a high surface area of 1210 m(2) g(-1) after ash-removal. The carbon material has the advantages of low cost and low environmental impact, with a superior electrochemical performance compared to those polymer-based synthetic carbons as electrode material for a supercapacitor. The carbon electrode exhibits a high capacitance of 314 F g(-1) in 6M KOH electrolyte. The corresponding sample also shows a superb cycling stability. Almost no capacitance decay was observed after 100,000 cycles. The excellent electrochemical performance is due to the combination of a high specific surface area with a fraction of mesopores and highly stable structure. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Role of activated carbon on micropollutans degradation by different radiation processes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Inmaculada Velo Gala

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this study was to analyse the influence of the presence of activated carbon on radiation processes. The triiodinated contrast medium diatrizoate was chosen as the contaminant model. We selected four commercial activated carbons and sixteen gamma radiation-modified carbons derived from these. The different advanced oxidation/reduction processes that have been studied were improved through the addition of activated carbon in the UV light and gamma radiating processes. In the UV/activated carbon process, the synergic activity of the activated carbon is enhanced in the samples with higher percentages of surface oxygen, ester/anhydride groups and carbon atoms with sp2 hybridization. Band gap determination of activated carbons revealed that they behave as semiconductor materials and, therefore, as photoactive materials in the presence of UV radiation, given that all band gap values are <4 eV. We also observed that the gamma radiation treatment reduces the band gap values of the activated carbons and that, in a single series of commercial carbons, lower band gap values correspond to higher contaminant removal rate values. We observed that the activity of the reutilized activated carbons is similar to that of the original carbons. Based on these results, we proposed that the activated carbon acts as a photocatalyst, promoting electrons of the valence band to the conduction band and increasing the generation of HO• radicals in the medium. Similarly, there was a synergic effect made by the presence of activated carbon in gamma radiation system, which favours pollutant removal. This synergic effect is independent of the textural but not the chemical characteristics of the activated carbon, observing a higher synergic activity for carbons with a higher surface content of oxygen, specifically quinone groups. We highlight that the synergic effect of the activated carbon requires adsorbent–adsorbate electrostatic interaction and is absent

  17. Carbon monoxide and methane adsorption of crude oil refinery using activated carbon from palm shells as biosorbent

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yuliusman; Afdhol, M. K.; Sanal, Alristo

    2018-03-01

    Carbon monoxide and methane gas are widely present in oil refineries. Off-potential gas is used as raw material for the petrochemical industry. In order for this off-gas to be utilized, carbon monoxide and methane must be removed from off-gas. This study aims to adsorb carbon monoxide and methane using activated carbon of palm shells and commercial activated carbon simultaneously. This research was conducted in 2 stages: 1) Preparation and characterization of activated carbon, 2) Carbon monoxide and methane adsorption test. The activation experiments using carbon dioxide at a flow rate of 150 ml/min yielded a surface area of 978.29 m2/g, Nitrogen at flow rate 150 ml/min yielded surface area 1241.48 m2/g, and carbon dioxide and nitrogen at a flow rate 200 ml/min yielded a surface area 300.37 m2/g. Adsorption of carbon monoxide and methane on activated carbon of palm shell systems yielded results in the amount of 0.5485 mg/g and 0.0649 mg/g and using commercial activated carbon yielded results in the amount of 0.5480 mg/g and 0.0650 mg/g

  18. Active carbon supported molybdenum carbides for higher alcohols synthesis from syngas

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wu, Qiongxiao; Chiarello, Gian Luca; Christensen, Jakob Munkholt

    This work provides an investigation of the high pressure CO hydrogenation to higher alcohols on K2CO3 promoted active carbon supported molybdenum carbide. Both activity and selectivity to alcohols over supported molybdenum carbides increased significantly compared to bulk carbides in literatures...

  19. Unburnt carbon from coal fly ashes as a precursor of activated carbon for nitric oxide removal.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rubio, Begoña; Izquierdo, M Teresa; Mayoral, M Carmen; Bona, M Teresa; Andres, Jose M

    2007-05-08

    The aim of this work is to evaluate the characteristics of an activated carbon obtained from unburnt carbon in coal fly ashes to be used in the removal of NO. Carbon-rich fraction was obtained by mechanical sieving of fly ashes. The mineral matter was removed by conventional HCl and HF demineralization procedure. Activation was carried out with steam at 900 degrees C in order to develop porosity onto the sample. Characterization of samples was performed by several techniques with a main objective: to follow the mineral matter content, composition and distribution on the samples in order to better understand how to remove it from unburnt carbon in fly ashes. To study the use of this unburnt carbon as a precursor for the preparation of activated carbons for gas cleaning, the NO removal by ammonia using activated carbon as a catalyst at low temperature was performed. Results show a good performance of activated carbon in this reaction that is in relationship with BET surface area.

  20. Imaging active topological defects in carbon nanotubes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suenaga, Kazu; Wakabayashi, Hideaki; Koshino, Masanori; Sato, Yuta; Urita, Koki; Iijima, Sumio

    2007-06-01

    A single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) is a wrapped single graphene layer, and its plastic deformation should require active topological defects-non-hexagonal carbon rings that can migrate along the nanotube wall. Although in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) has been used to examine the deformation of SWNTs, these studies deal only with diameter changes and no atomistic mechanism has been elucidated experimentally. Theory predicts that some topological defects can form through the Stone-Wales transformation in SWNTs under tension at 2,000 K, and could act as a dislocation core. We demonstrate here, by means of high-resolution (HR)-TEM with atomic sensitivity, the first direct imaging of pentagon-heptagon pair defects found in an SWNT that was heated at 2,273 K. Moreover, our in situ HR-TEM observation reveals an accumulation of topological defects near the kink of a deformed nanotube. This result suggests that dislocation motions or active topological defects are indeed responsible for the plastic deformation of SWNTs.

  1. Carbon Textile Decorated with Pseudocapacitive VC/Vx Oy for High-Performance Flexible Supercapacitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van Lam, Do; Shim, Hyung Cheoul; Kim, Jae-Hyun; Lee, Hak-Joo; Lee, Seung-Mo

    2017-11-01

    It is demonstrated that, via V 2 O 5 coating by low temperature atomic layer deposition and subsequent pyrolysis, ubiquitous cotton textile can readily turn into high-surface-area carbon textile fully decorated with pseudocapacitive V x O y /VC widely usable as electrodes of high-performance supercapacitor. It is found that carbothermic reduction of V 2 O 5 (C + V 2 O 5 → C' + VC + CO/CO 2 (g)) leads to chemical/mechanical activation of carbon textile, thereby producing high-surface-area conductive carbon textile. In addition, sequential phase transformation and carbide formation (V 2 O 5 → V x O y → VC) occurred by carbothermic reduction trigger decoration of the carbon textile with redox-active V x O y /VC. Thanks to the synergistic effect of electrical double layer and pseudocapacitance, the supercapacitors made of the hybrid carbon textile exhibit far better energy density (over 30-fold increase) with excellent cycling stability than the carbon textile simply undergone pyrolysis. The method can open up a promising and facile way to synthesize hybrid electrode materials for electrochemical energy storages possessing advantages of both electrical double layer and pseudocapacitive material. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  2. Adsorption of sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate on activated carbons: effects of solution chemistry and presence of bacteria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bautista-Toledo, M I; Méndez-Díaz, J D; Sánchez-Polo, M; Rivera-Utrilla, J; Ferro-García, M A

    2008-01-01

    The objective of the present investigation was to determine the effectiveness of activated carbon in removing sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate (SDBS) and to analyze the chemical and textural characteristics of the activated carbons that are involved in the adsorption process. Studies were also performed on the influence of operational variables (pH, ionic strength, and presence of microorganisms) and on the kinetics and interactions involved in the adsorption of this pollutant on activated carbon. The kinetics study of SDBS adsorption revealed no problems in its diffusion on any of the activated carbons studied, and Weisz-Prater coefficient (C WP) values were considerably lower than unity for all activated carbons studied. SDBS adsorption isotherms on these activated carbons showed that: (i) adsorption capacity of activated carbons was very high (260-470 mg/g) and increased with larger surface area; and (ii) dispersive interactions between SDBS and carbon surface were largely responsible for the adsorption of this pollutant. SDBS adsorption was not significantly affected by the solution pH, indicating that electrostatic adsorbent-adsorbate interactions do not play an important role in this process. The presence of electrolytes (NaCl) in the medium favors SDBS adsorption, accelerating the process and increasing adsorption capacity. Under the working conditions used, SDBS is not degraded by bacteria; however, the presence of bacteria during the process accelerates and increases SDBS adsorption on the activated carbon. Microorganism adsorption on the activated carbon surface increases its hydrophobicity, explaining the results observed.

  3. Resorcinol adsorption from aqueous solution over activated carbon

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Blanco, Diego A; Giraldo, Liliana; Moreno, Juan C

    2007-01-01

    In this paper, the adsorption behavior of Resorcinol a monohydroxylated phenol, poorly acid to 298 K, over activated carbon is analyzed by studying the solution's pH influence and the surface reduction in the adsorption process. To do this, an activated carbon of lignocellulose origin and a reduced activated carbon was used. The interaction solid solution is characterized by the analyses of adsorption in the isotherms to 298 K and pH values of 7. 00, 9.00 and 11.00 for a period of 48 hours. The capacity adsorption of activated carbons increases when the solution's pH decreases and the retained amount increases in the reduced coal to the pH of maximum adsorption.

  4. Ruthenium nanoparticles decorated curl-like porous carbons for high performance supercapacitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lou, Bih-Show; Veerakumar, Pitchaimani; Chen, Shen-Ming; Veeramani, Vediyappan; Madhu, Rajesh; Liu, Shang-Bin

    2016-01-01

    The synthesis of highly dispersed and stable ruthenium nanoparticles (RuNPs; ca. 2-3 nm) on porous activated carbons derived from Moringa Oleifera fruit shells (MOC) is reported and were exploited for supercapacitor applications. The Ru/MOC composites so fabricated using the biowaste carbon source and ruthenium acetylacetonate as the co-feeding metal precursors were activated at elevated temperatures (600-900 oC) in the presence of ZnCl2 as the pore generating and chemical activating agent. The as-prepared MOC carbonized at 900 oC was found to possess a high specific surface area (2522 m2 g-1) and co-existing micro- and mesoporosities. Upon incorporating RuNPs, the Ru/MOC nanocomposites loaded with modest amount of metallic Ru (1.0-1.5 wt%) exhibit remarkable electrochemical and capacitive properties, achiving a maximum capacitance of 291 F g-1 at a current density of 1 A g-1 in 1.0 M H2SO4 electrolyte. These highly stable and durable Ru/MOC electrodes, which can be facily fabricated by the eco-friendly and cost-effective route, should have great potentials for practical applications in energy storage, biosensing, and catalysis.

  5. Production of activated carbons from coffee endocarp by CO2 and steam activation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nabais, Joao M. Valente; Nunes, Pedro; Carrott, Peter J.M.; Ribeiro Carrott, M. Manuela L.; Garcia, A. Macias; Diaz-Diez, M.A.

    2008-01-01

    In this work the use of coffee endocarp as precursor for the production of activated carbons by steam and CO 2 was studied. Activation by both methods produces activated carbons with small external areas and microporous structures having very similar mean pore widths. The activation produces mainly primary micropores and only a small volume of larger micropores. The CO 2 activation leads to samples with higher BET surface areas and pore volumes when compared with samples produced by steam activation and with similar burn-off value. All the activated carbons produced have basic characteristics with point of zero charge between 10 and 12. By FTIR it was possible to identify the formation on the activated carbon's surface of several functional groups, namely ether, quinones, lactones, ketones, hydroxyls (free and phenol); pyrones and Si-H bonds. (author)

  6. Carbon Dioxide Capture by Deep Eutectic Solvent Impregnated Sea Mango Activated Carbon

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zulkurnai, N. Z.; Ali, U. F. Md.; Ibrahim, N.; Manan, N. S. Abdul

    2018-03-01

    The increment amount of the CO2 emission by years has become a major concern worldwide due to the global warming issue. However, the influence modification of activated carbon (AC) has given a huge revolution in CO2 adsorption capture compare to the unmodified AC. In the present study, the Deep Eutectic Solvent (DES) modified surface AC was used for Carbon Dioxide (CO2) capture in the fixed-bed column. The AC underwent pre-carbonization and carbonization processes at 519.8 °C, respectively, with flowing of CO2 gas and then followed by impregnation with 53.75% phosphoric acid (H3PO4) at 1:2 precursor-to-activant ratios. The prepared AC known as sea mango activated carbon (SMAC) was impregnated with DES at 1:2 solid-to-liquid ratio. The DES is composing of choline chloride and urea with ratio 1:2 choline chloride to urea. The optimum adsorption capacity of SMAC was 33.46 mgco2/gsol and 39.40 mgco2/gsol for DES modified AC (DESAC).

  7. High Methanol Oxidation Activity of Well-Dispersed Pt Nanoparticles on Carbon Nanotubes Using Nitrogen Doping

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fang Wei-Chuan

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Pt nanoparticles (NPs with the average size of 3.14 nm well dispersed on N-doped carbon nanotubes (CNTs without any pretreatment have been demonstrated. Structural properties show the characteristic N bonding within CNTs, which provide the good support for uniform distribution of Pt NPs. In electrochemical characteristics, N-doped CNTs covered with Pt NPs show superior current density due to the fact that the so-called N incorporation could give rise to the formation of preferential sites within CNTs accompanied by the low interfacial energy for immobilizing Pt NPs. Therefore, the substantially enhanced methanol oxidation activity performed by N-incorporation technique is highly promising in energy-generation applications.

  8. Minimizing activated carbons production cost

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stavropoulos, G.G.; Zabaniotou, A.A.

    2009-01-01

    A detailed economic evaluation of activated carbons production process from various raw materials is undertaken using the conventional economic indices (ROI, POT, and NPV). The fundamental factors that affect production cost were taken into account. It is concluded that for an attractive investment in activated carbons production one should select the raw material with the highest product yield, adopt a chemical activation production scheme and should base product price on product-surface area (or more generally on product adsorption capacity for the adsorbate in consideration). A raw material that well meets the above-mentioned criteria is petroleum coke but others are also promising (charcoals, and carbon black). Production cost then can be optimized by determining its minimum value of cost that results from the intercept between the curves of plant capacity and raw material cost - if any. Taking into account the complexity of such a techno-economic analysis, a useful suggestion could be to start the evaluations from a plant capacity corresponding to the break-even point, i. e. the capacity at which income equals production cost. (author)

  9. Sorption studies of nickel ions onto activated carbon

    Science.gov (United States)

    Joshi, Parth; Vyas, Meet; Patel, Chirag

    2018-05-01

    Activated porous carbons are made through pyrolysis and activation of carbonaceous natural as well as synthetic precursors. The use of low-cost activated carbon derived from azadirachta indica, an agricultural waste material, has been investigated as a replacement for the current expensive methods of removing nickel ions from wastewater. The temperature variation study showed that the nickel ions adsorption is endothermic and spontaneous with increased randomness at the solid solution interface. Significant effect on adsorption was observed on varying the pH of the nickel ion solutions. Therefore, this study revealed that azadirachta indica can serve as a good source of activated carbon with multiple and simultaneous metal ions removing potentials and may serve as a better replacement for commercial activated carbons in applications that warrant their use.

  10. Interactions of xanthines with activated carbon

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Navarrete Casas, R.; Garcia Rodriguez, A.; Rey Bueno, F.; Espinola Lara, A.; Valenzuela Calahorro, C.; Navarrete Guijosa, A.

    2006-01-01

    In the present work, we have studied the adsorption of xanthine derivatives by activated carbon sorbents in aqueous solutions. The study comprised both kinetic, equilibrium and thermodynamic aspects. The kinetic results were reported in a previous paper; the equilibrium-related results are discussed here. The two types of carbon used exhibit some differences but the equilibrium isotherms obtained are all of the H-3 type in the classification of Giles. This suggests a high affinity of the sorbents for the sorbates. We also found that the overall adsorption process comprises more than one individual adsorption-desorption process of which one leads to the formation of a 'monolayer' and the other to the 'precipitation' of the sorbate on the sorbent surface (multilayer adsorption); the amount of sorbate adsorbed in monolayer form was seemingly greater in C-A14

  11. Adsorption Studies of Chromium(VI) on Activated Carbon Derived from Mangifera indica (Mango) Seed Shell

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mise, Shashikant; Patil, Trupti Nagendra

    2015-09-01

    The removal of chromium(VI) from synthetic sample by adsorption on activated carbon prepared from Mangifera indica (mango) seed shell have been carried out at room temperature 32 ± 1 °C. The removal of chromium(VI) from synthetic sample by adsorption on two types of activated carbon, physical activation and chemical activation (Calcium chloride and Sodium chloride), Impregnation Ratio's (IR) 0.25, 0.50, 0.75 for optimum time, optimum dosages and variation of pH were studied. It is observed that contact time differs for different carbons i.e. for physically and chemically activated carbons. The contact time decreases for chemically activated carbon compared to the physically activated carbon. It was observed that as dosage increases the adsorption increased along with the increase in impregnation ratio. It was also noted that as I.R. increases the surface area of Mangifera indica shell carbon increased. These dosage data were considered in the construction of isotherms and it was found that adsorption obeys Freundlich Isotherm and does not obey Langmuir Isotherm. The maximum removal of chromium (VI) was obtained in highly acidic medium at a pH of 1.50.

  12. Volumetric and superficial characterization of carbon activated; Caracterizacion volumetrica y superficial de carbon activado

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Carrera G, L.M.; Garcia S, I.; Jimenez B, J.; Solache R, M.; Lopez M, B.; Bulbulian G, S.; Olguin G, M.T. [Departamento de Quimica, Gerencia de Ciencias Basicas, Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Nucleares, A.P. 18-1027, 11801 Mexico D.F. (Mexico)

    2000-07-01

    The activated carbon is the resultant material of the calcination process of natural carbonated materials as coconut shells or olive little bones. It is an excellent adsorbent of diluted substances, so much in colloidal form, as in particles form. Those substances are attracted and retained by the carbon surface. In this work is make the volumetric and superficial characterization of activated carbon treated thermically (300 Centigrade) in function of the grain size average. (Author)

  13. JV Task 90 - Activated Carbon Production from North Dakota Lignite

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Steven Benson; Charlene Crocker; Rokan Zaman; Mark Musich; Edwin Olson

    2008-03-31

    The Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) has pursued a research program for producing activated carbon from North Dakota lignite that can be competitive with commercial-grade activated carbon. As part of this effort, small-scale production of activated carbon was produced from Fort Union lignite. A conceptual design of a commercial activated carbon production plant was drawn, and a market assessment was performed to determine likely revenue streams for the produced carbon. Activated carbon was produced from lignite coal in both laboratory-scale fixed-bed reactors and in a small pilot-scale rotary kiln. The EERC was successfully able to upgrade the laboratory-scale activated carbon production system to a pilot-scale rotary kiln system. The activated carbon produced from North Dakota lignite was superior to commercial grade DARCO{reg_sign} FGD and Rheinbraun's HOK activated coke product with respect to iodine number. The iodine number of North Dakota lignite-derived activated carbon was between 600 and 800 mg I{sub 2}/g, whereas the iodine number of DARCO FGD was between 500 and 600 mg I{sub 2}/g, and the iodine number of Rheinbraun's HOK activated coke product was around 275 mg I{sub 2}/g. The EERC performed both bench-scale and pilot-scale mercury capture tests using the activated carbon made under various optimization process conditions. For comparison, the mercury capture capability of commercial DARCO FGD was also tested. The lab-scale apparatus is a thin fixed-bed mercury-screening system, which has been used by the EERC for many mercury capture screen tests. The pilot-scale systems included two combustion units, both equipped with an electrostatic precipitator (ESP). Activated carbons were also tested in a slipstream baghouse at a Texas power plant. The results indicated that the activated carbon produced from North Dakota lignite coal is capable of removing mercury from flue gas. The tests showed that activated carbon with the greatest

  14. Preparation and Characterization of Impregnated Commercial Rice Husks Activated Carbon with Piperazine for Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Capture

    Science.gov (United States)

    Masoum Raman, S. N.; Ismail, N. A.; Jamari, S. S.

    2017-06-01

    Development of effective materials for carbon dioxide (CO2) capture technology is a fundamental importance to reduce CO2 emissions. This work establishes the addition of amine functional group on the surface of activated carbon to further improve the adsorption capacity of CO2. Rice husks activated carbon were modified using wet impregnation method by introducing piperazine onto the activated carbon surfaces at different concentrations and mixture ratios. These modified activated carbons were characterized by using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Brunauer, Emmett and Teller (BET), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM). The results from XRD analysis show the presence of polyethylene butane at diffraction angles of 21.8° and 36.2° for modified activated carbon with increasing intensity corresponding to increase in piperazine concentration. BET results found the surface area and pore volume of non-impregnated activated carbon to be 126.69 m2/g and 0.081 cm3/g respectively, while the modified activated carbons with 4M of piperazine have lower surface area and pore volume which is 6.77 m2/g and 0.015 cm3/g respectively. At 10M concentration, the surface area and pore volume are the lowest which is 4.48 m2/g and 0.0065 cm3/g respectively. These results indicate the piperazine being filled inside the activated carbon pores thus, lowering the surface area and pore volume of the activated carbon. From the FTIR analysis, the presence of peaks at 3312 cm-1 and 1636 cm-1 proved the existence of reaction between carboxyl groups on the activated carbon surfaces with piperazine. The surface morphology of activated carbon can be clearly seen through FESEM analysis. The modified activated carbon contains fewer pores than non-modified activated carbon as the pores have been covered with piperazine.

  15. Nitrogen doped carbon derived from polyimide/multiwall carbon nanotube composites for high performance flexible all-solid-state supercapacitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Dae Kyom; Kim, Nam Dong; Park, Seung-Keun; Seong, Kwang-dong; Hwang, Minsik; You, Nam-Ho; Piao, Yuanzhe

    2018-03-01

    Flexible all-solid-state supercapacitors are desirable as potential energy storage systems for wearable technologies. Herein, we synthesize aminophenyl multiwall carbon nanotube (AP-MWCNT) grafted polyimide precursor by in situ polymerization method as a nitrogen-doped carbon precursor. Flexible supercapacitor electrodes are fabricated via a coating of carbon precursor on carbon cloth surface and carbonization at high temperature directly. The as-obtained electrodes, which can be directly used without any binders or additives, can deliver a high specific capacitance of 333.4 F g-1 at 1 A g-1 (based on active material mass) and excellent cycle stability with 103% capacitance retention after 10,000 cycles in a three-electrode system. The flexible all-solid-state supercapacitor device exhibits a high volumetric capacitance of 3.88 F cm-3 at a current density of 0.02 mA cm-3. And also the device can deliver a maximum volumetric energy density of 0.50 mWh cm-3 and presents good cycling stability with 85.3% capacitance retention after 10,000 cycles. This device cell can not only show extraordinary mechanical flexibilities allowing folding, twisting, and rolling but also demonstrate remarkable stable electrochemical performances under their forms. This work provides a novel approach to obtain carbon textile-based flexible supercapacitors with high electrochemical performance and mechanical flexibility.

  16. Hydrothermal Synthesis and Biocompatibility Study of Highly Crystalline Carbonated Hydroxyapatite Nanorods

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xue, Caibao; Chen, Yingzhi; Huang, Yongzhuo; Zhu, Peizhi

    2015-08-01

    Highly crystalline carbonated hydroxyapatite (CHA) nanorods with different carbonate contents were synthesized by a novel hydrothermal method. The crystallinity and chemical structure of synthesized nanorods were studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photo-electronic spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The biocompatibility of synthesized CHA nanorods was evaluated by cell viability and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity of MG-63 cell line. The biocompatibility evaluation results show that these CHA nanorods are biologically active apatites and potentially promising bone-substitute biomaterials for orthopedic application.

  17. Performance of Spent Mushroom Farming Waste (SMFW) Activated Carbon for Ni (II) Removal

    Science.gov (United States)

    Desa, N. S. Md; Ghani, Z. Ab; Talib, S. Abdul; Tay, C. C.

    2016-07-01

    The feasibility of a low cost agricultural waste of spent mushroom farming waste (SMFW) activated carbon for Ni(II) removal was investigated. The batch adsorption experiments of adsorbent dosage, pH, contact time, metal concentration, and temperature were determined. The samples were shaken at 125 rpm, filtered and analyzed using ICP-OES. The fifty percent of Ni(II) removal was obtained at 0.63 g of adsorbent dosage, pH 5-6 (unadjusted), 60 min contact time, 50 mg/L Ni(II) concentration and 25 °C temperature. The evaluated SMFW activated carbon showed the highest performance on Ni(II) removal compared to commercial Amberlite IRC86 resin and zeolite NK3. The result indicated that SMFW activated carbon is a high potential cation exchange adsorbent and suitable for adsorption process for metal removal. The obtained results contribute toward application of developed SMFW activated carbon in industrial pilot study.

  18. Amorphous carbon nanofibres inducing high specific capacitance of deposited hydrous ruthenium oxide

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Barranco, V.; Pico, F.; Ibanez, J.; Lillo-Rodenas, M.A.; Linares-Solano, A.; Kimura, M.; Oya, A.; Rojas, R.M.; Amarilla, J.M.; Rojo, J.M.

    2009-01-01

    Composites consisting of ruthenium oxide particles deposited on amorphous carbon nanofibres are prepared by a repetitive impregnation procedure. The choice of amorphous carbon nanofibres as support of amorphous ruthenium oxide leads to composites in which the deposited oxide consists of aggregates of extremely small primary particles (1-1.5 nm-size) and showing high porosity (specific surface area of 450 m 2 g -1 ). This special deposition of the oxide seems to favour: (i) high oxide capacitance (1000 Fg -1 ) at high oxide loadings (up to 20 wt%) and (ii) high capacitance retention (ca. 80% from the initial oxide capacitance) at high current densities (200 mA cm -2 ). Amorphous carbon nanofibres are suitable supports for amorphous ruthenium oxide and perhaps for other amorphous oxides acting as active electrode materials.

  19. Hierarchical activated mesoporous phenolic-resin-based carbons for supercapacitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Zhao; Zhou, Min; Chen, Hao; Jiang, Jingui; Guan, Shiyou

    2014-10-01

    A series of hierarchical activated mesoporous carbons (AMCs) were prepared by the activation of highly ordered, body-centered cubic mesoporous phenolic-resin-based carbon with KOH. The effect of the KOH/carbon-weight ratio on the textural properties and capacitive performance of the AMCs was investigated in detail. An AMC prepared with a KOH/carbon-weight ratio of 6:1 possessed the largest specific surface area (1118 m(2) g(-1)), with retention of the ordered mesoporous structure, and exhibited the highest specific capacitance of 260 F g(-1) at a current density of 0.1 A g(-1) in 1 M H2 SO4 aqueous electrolyte. This material also showed excellent rate capability (163 F g(-1) retained at 20 A g(-1)) and good long-term electrochemical stability. This superior capacitive performance could be attributed to a large specific surface area and an optimized micro-mesopore structure, which not only increased the effective specific surface area for charge storage but also provided a favorable pathway for efficient ion transport. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  20. Study of the Adsorbent-Adsorbate Interactions from Cd(II) and Pb(II) Adsorption on Activated Carbon and Activated Carbon Fiber

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Dae Ho; Kim, Doo Won; Kim, Bohye; Yang, Kap Seung [Chonnam National Univ., Gwangju (Korea, Republic of); Lim, Yongkyun; Park, Eun Nam [Microfilter Co., Ltd, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    2013-02-15

    The adsorption characteristics of Cd(II) and Pb(II) in aqueous solution using granular activated carbon (GAC), activated carbon fiber (ACF), modified ACF (NaACF), and a mixture of GAC and NaACF (GAC/NaACF) have been studied. The surface properties, such as morphology, surface functional groups, and composition of various adsorbents were determined using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) measurements. The specific surface area, total pore volume, and pore size distribution were investigated using nitrogen adsorption, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), and Barrett-Joyner-Halenda (BJH) methods. In this study, NaACF showed a high adsorption capacity and rate for heavy metal ions due to the improvement of its ion-exchange capabilities by additional oxygen functional groups. Moreover, the GAC and NaACF mixture was used as an adsorbent to determine the adsorbent-adsorbate interaction in the presence of two competitive adsorbents.

  1. Study of the Adsorbent-Adsorbate Interactions from Cd(II) and Pb(II) Adsorption on Activated Carbon and Activated Carbon Fiber

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Dae Ho; Kim, Doo Won; Kim, Bohye; Yang, Kap Seung; Lim, Yongkyun; Park, Eun Nam

    2013-01-01

    The adsorption characteristics of Cd(II) and Pb(II) in aqueous solution using granular activated carbon (GAC), activated carbon fiber (ACF), modified ACF (NaACF), and a mixture of GAC and NaACF (GAC/NaACF) have been studied. The surface properties, such as morphology, surface functional groups, and composition of various adsorbents were determined using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) measurements. The specific surface area, total pore volume, and pore size distribution were investigated using nitrogen adsorption, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), and Barrett-Joyner-Halenda (BJH) methods. In this study, NaACF showed a high adsorption capacity and rate for heavy metal ions due to the improvement of its ion-exchange capabilities by additional oxygen functional groups. Moreover, the GAC and NaACF mixture was used as an adsorbent to determine the adsorbent-adsorbate interaction in the presence of two competitive adsorbents

  2. Adsorption of leather dyes on activated carbon from leather shaving wastes: kinetics, equilibrium and thermodynamics studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manera, Christian; Tonello, Andrezza Piroli; Perondi, Daniele; Godinho, Marcelo

    2018-03-23

    In this work, the adsorption of Acid Black 210 (AB210) and Acid Red 357 (AR357) onto activated carbon prepared from leather shaving wastes (ACLW) was investigated. The activated carbon presented a surface area of 800.4 m²/g with an average pore size of 1.27 nm. The kinetic study showed that the adsorption of both dyes followed the Elovich kinetic model while the AB210 and AR357 isotherm data were well described by the Langmuir and BET models, respectively. Furthermore, the Boyd plot revealed that the adsorption of the leather dyes on activated carbon was mainly governed by film diffusion. The pH had a strong influence on the adsorption, and the higher amounts of dye adsorbed were obtained at pH 2. The obtained activated carbon exhibited a high monolayer adsorption capacity of 573.9 and 204.4 mg/g for AB210 and AR357, respectively. Its high capacity is mainly attributed to its basicity (0.17 mmol/g) and high surface area. Desorption efficiency of the spent activated carbon was found to be 54.3% and 43.0% for AB210 and AR357, respectively. The spontaneity of the process was demonstrated by the negative values of the Gibbs free energy change.

  3. Adsorption characteristics of benzene on biosolid adsorbent and commercial activated carbons

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hung-Lung Chiang; Kuo-Hsiung Lin; Chih-Yu Chen; Ching-Guan Choa; Ching-Shyung Hwu; Nina Lai [China Medical University, Taichung (Taiwan). Department of Risk Management

    2006-05-15

    This study selected biosolids from a petrochemical wastewater treatment plant as the raw material. The sludge was immersed in 0.5-5 M of zinc chloride (ZnCl{sub 2}) solutions and pyrolyzed at different temperatures and times. Results indicated that the 1-M ZnCl{sub 2}-immersed biosolids pyrolyzed at 500{sup o}C for 30 min could be reused and were optimal biosolid adsorbents for benzene adsorption. Pore volume distribution analysis indicated that the mesopore contributed more than the macropore and micropore in the biosolid adsorbent. The benzene adsorption capacity of the biosolid adsorbent was 65 and 55% of the G206 (granular-activated carbon) and BPL (coal-based activated carbon; Calgon, Carbon Corp.) activated carbons, respectively. Data from the adsorption and desorption cycles indicated that the benzene adsorption capacity of the biosolid adsorbent was insignificantly reduced compared with the first-run capacity of the adsorbent; therefore, the biosolid adsorbent could be reused as a commercial adsorbent, although its production cost is high. 18 refs., 9 figs., 3 tabs.

  4. Hierarchical porous carbon materials derived from petroleum pitch for high-performance supercapacitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abudu, Patiman; Wang, Luxiang; Xu, Mengjiao; Jia, Dianzeng; Wang, Xingchao; Jia, Lixia

    2018-06-01

    In this work, a honeycomb-like carbon material derived from petroleum pitch was synthesized by a simple one-step carbonization/activation method using silica nanospheres as the hard templates. The obtained hierarchical porous carbon materials (HPCs) with a large specific surface area and uniform macropore distribution provide abundant active sites and sufficient ion migration channels. When used as an electrode material for supercapacitors, the HPCs exhibit a high specific capacitance of 341.0 F g-1 at 1 A g-1, excellent rate capability with a capacitance retention of 55.6% at 50 A g-1 (189.5 F g-1), and outstanding cycling performance in the three-electrode system.

  5. Pumpkin-Derived Porous Carbon for Supercapacitors with High Performance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bai, Suying; Tan, Guangqun; Li, Xiaoqin; Zhao, Qian; Meng, Yan; Wang, Yujue; Zhang, Yongzhi; Xiao, Dan

    2016-06-21

    Pumpkin has been employed for the first time as a renewable, low-cost precursor for the preparation of porous carbon materials with excellent performance. Unlike most other precursors, pumpkin is rich in sugars and starch, and it has advantageous properties for large-scale production. The as-prepared materials adopted a unique morphology that consisted of numerous fused sphere-like carbon grains with a high specific surface area (2968 m(2)  g(-1) ), abundant micro and mesopores, and excellent electrochemical properties. The pumpkin-derived activated carbon (PAC) material not only exhibited a high specific capacitance of 419 F g(-1) , but also showed considerable cycling stability, with 93.6 % retention after 10 000 cycles. Moreover, a symmetrical supercapacitor that was based on PAC showed a high energy density of 22.1 W h kg(-1) in aqueous electrolyte. These superior properties demonstrate that PAC holds great promise for applications in electrochemical energy-storage devices. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  6. Porous carbon derived via KOH activation of a hypercrosslinked porous organic polymer for efficient CO{sub 2}, CH{sub 4}, H{sub 2} adsorptions and high CO{sub 2}/N{sub 2} selectivity

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Modak, Arindam; Bhaumik, Asim, E-mail: msab@iacs.res.in

    2015-12-15

    Microporous carbon having Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area of 2186 m{sup 2} g{sup −1} and micropore volume of 0.85 cm{sup 3} g{sup −1} has been synthesized via KOH induced high temperature carbonization of a non-conjugated hypercrosslinked organic polymer. Owing to the templating and activation by KOH, we have succeeded in making a microporous carbon from this porous polymer and the resultant carbon material showed high uptake for CO{sub 2} (7.6 mmol g{sup −1}) and CH{sub 4} (2.4 mmol g{sup −1}) at 1 atm, 273 K together with very good selectivity for the CO{sub 2}/N{sub 2} (30.2) separation. Furthermore, low pressure (1 atm) H{sub 2} (2.6 wt%, 77 K) and water uptake (57.4 wt%, 298 K) ability of this polymer derived porous activated carbon is noteworthy. - Graphical abstract: Microporous carbon with BET surface area of 2186 m{sup 2} g{sup −1} has been synthesized via KOH activation of a porous organic polymer and it showed high uptake for CO{sub 2} (7.6 mmol g{sup −1}), CH{sub 4} (2.4 mmol g{sup −1}) and H{sub 2} (2.6 wt%) at 1 atm together with very good selectivity for CO{sub 2}. - Highlights: • Porous carbon from hypercrosslinked organic polymer. • KOH activated carbon with BET surface area 2186 m{sup 2} g{sup −1}. • High CO2 uptake (7.6 mmol g{sup −1}) and CO{sub 2}/N{sub 2} selectivity (30.2). • Porous carbon also showed high H{sub 2} (2.6 wt%) and H{sub 2}O (57.4 wt%) uptakes.

  7. Adsorption kinetics of surfactants on activated carbon

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arnelli; Aditama, WP; Fikriani, Z.; Astuti, Y.

    2018-04-01

    A study on the adsorption of both cationic and anionic surfactants using activated carbon as well as the investigation of the adsorption isotherms and adsorption kinetics has been conducted. The results showed that the adsorption of sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) by activated carbon was Langmuir’s adsorption isotherm while its adsorption kinetics showed pseudo-second order with an adsorption rate constant of 2.23 x 103 g mg-1 hour-1. Meanwhile, the adsorption of HDTMA-Br by activated carbon showed that the isotherm adsorption tended to follow Freundlich’s isotherm and was pseudo-second order with an adsorption rate constant of 89.39 g mg-1 hour-1.

  8. Production and characterization of activated carbon from a ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    In this study, the use of a bituminous coal for the production of activated carbons with chemical activation was investigated. The effects of process variables such as chemical reagents, activation temperature, impregnation ratio and carbonization temperature were investigated to optimize these parameters. The resultant ...

  9. Activated carbons from KOH-activation of argan (Argania spinosa) seed shells as supercapacitor electrodes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elmouwahidi, Abdelhakim; Zapata-Benabithe, Zulamita; Carrasco-Marín, Francisco; Moreno-Castilla, Carlos

    2012-05-01

    Activated carbons were prepared by KOH-activation of argan seed shells (ASS). The activated carbon with the largest surface area and most developed porosity was superficially treated to introduce oxygen and nitrogen functionalities. Activated carbons with a surface area of around 2100 m(2)/g were obtained. Electrochemical measurements were carried out with a three-electrode cell using 1M H(2)SO(4) as electrolyte and Ag/AgCl as reference electrode. The O-rich activated carbon showed the lowest capacitance (259 F/g at 125 mA/g) and the lowest capacity retention (52% at 1A/g), due to surface carboxyl groups hindering electrolyte diffusion into the pores. Conversely, the N-rich activated carbon showed the highest capacitance (355 F/g at 125 mA/g) with the highest retention (93% at 1A/g), due to its well-developed micro-mesoporosity and the pseudocapacitance effects of N functionalities. This capacitance performance was among the highest reported for other activated carbons from a large variety of biomass precursors. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Adsorption of Safranin-T from wastewater using waste materials- activated carbon and activated rice husks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gupta, Vinod K; Mittal, Alok; Jain, Rajeev; Mathur, Megha; Sikarwar, Shalini

    2006-11-01

    Textile effluents are major industrial polluters because of high color content, about 15% unfixed dyes and salts. The present paper is aimed to investigate and develop cheap adsorption methods for color removal from wastewater using waste materials activated carbon and activated rice husk-as adsorbents. The method was employed for the removal of Safranin-T and the influence of various factors such as adsorbent dose, adsorbate concentration, particle size, temperature, contact time, and pH was studied. The adsorption of the dye over both the adsorbents was found to follow Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherm models. Based on these models, different useful thermodynamic parameters have been evaluated for both the adsorption processes. The adsorption of Safranin-T over activated carbon and activated rice husks follows first-order kinetics and the rate constants for the adsorption processes decrease with increase in temperature.

  11. Phenol removal onto novel activated carbons made from lignocellulosic precursors: influence of surface properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nabais, J M Valente; Gomes, J A; Suhas; Carrott, P J M; Laginhas, C; Roman, S

    2009-08-15

    The adsorption of phenol from dilute aqueous solutions onto new activated carbons (AC) was studied. The novel activated carbon was produced from lignocellulosic (LC) precursors of rapeseed and kenaf. Samples oxidised with nitric acid in liquid phase were also studied. The results have shown the significant potential of rapeseed and kenaf for the activated carbon production. The activated carbons produced by carbon dioxide activation were mainly microporous with BET apparent surface area up to 1350 m(2)g(-1) and pore volume 0.5 cm(3)g(-1). The effects of concentration (0.1-2 mM) and pH (3-13) were studied. The phenol adsorption isotherms at 25 degrees C followed the Freundlich model with maximum adsorption capacities of approximately 80 and 50 mg g(-1) for the pristine and oxidised activated carbons, respectively. The influence of pH on the adsorption has two trends for pH below and above 10. It was possible to conclude that when phenol is predominantly in the molecular form the most probable mechanism is based on the pi-pi dispersion interaction between the phenol aromatic ring and the delocalised pi electrons present in the activated carbon aromatic structure. When phenolate is the major component the electrostatic repulsion that occurs at high pH values is the most important aspect of the adsorption mechanism.

  12. Phenol removal onto novel activated carbons made from lignocellulosic precursors: Influence of surface properties

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Valente Nabais, J.M.; Gomes, J.A.; Suhas; Carrott, P.J.M.; Laginhas, C.; Roman, S.

    2009-01-01

    The adsorption of phenol from dilute aqueous solutions onto new activated carbons (AC) was studied. The novel activated carbon was produced from lignocellulosic (LC) precursors of rapeseed and kenaf. Samples oxidised with nitric acid in liquid phase were also studied. The results have shown the significant potential of rapeseed and kenaf for the activated carbon production. The activated carbons produced by carbon dioxide activation were mainly microporous with BET apparent surface area up to 1350 m 2 g -1 and pore volume 0.5 cm 3 g -1 . The effects of concentration (0.1-2 mM) and pH (3-13) were studied. The phenol adsorption isotherms at 25 deg. C followed the Freundlich model with maximum adsorption capacities of approximately 80 and 50 mg g -1 for the pristine and oxidised activated carbons, respectively. The influence of pH on the adsorption has two trends for pH below and above 10. It was possible to conclude that when phenol is predominantly in the molecular form the most probable mechanism is based on the π-π dispersion interaction between the phenol aromatic ring and the delocalised π electrons present in the activated carbon aromatic structure. When phenolate is the major component the electrostatic repulsion that occurs at high pH values is the most important aspect of the adsorption mechanism.

  13. Adsorption of SO2 on bituminous coal char and activated carbon fiber prepared from phenol formaldehyde

    Science.gov (United States)

    DeBarr, Joseph A.; Lizzio, Anthony A.; Daley, Michael A.

    1996-01-01

    Carbon-based materials are used commercially to remove SO2 from coal combustion flue gases. Historically, these materials have consisted of granular activated carbons prepared from lignite or bituminous coal. Recent studies have reported that activated carbon fibers (ACFs) may have potential in this application due to their relatively high SO2 adsorption capacity. In this paper, a comparison of SO2 adsorption for both coal-based carbons and ACFs is presented, as well as ideas on carbon properties that may influence SO2 adsorption

  14. Preparation and characterization of active carbon using palm kernel ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Activated carbons were prepared from Palm kernel shells. Carbonization temperature was 6000C, at a residence time of 5 min for each process. Chemical activation was done by heating a mixture of carbonized material and the activating agents at a temperature of 700C to form a paste, followed by subsequent cooling and ...

  15. Cauliflower-derived porous carbon without activation for electrochemical capacitor and CO2 capture applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Du, Juan; Yu, Yifeng; Lv, Haijun; Chen, Chunlin; Zhang, Jian; Chen, Aibing

    2018-01-01

    Carbon materials have attracted great attention in CO2 capture and energy storage due to their excellent characteristics such as tunable pore structure, modulated surface properties and superior bulk conductivities, etc. Biomass, provided by nature with non-toxic, widespread, abundant, and sustainable advantages, is considered to be a very promising precursor of carbons for the view of economic, environmental, and societal issues. However, the preparation of high-performance biomass-derived carbons is still a big challenge because of the multistep process for their synthesis and subsequent activation. Herein, hierarchically porous structured carbon materials have been prepared by directly carbonizing dried cauliflowers without any addition of agents and activation process, featuring with large specific surface area, hierarchically porous structure and improved pore volume, as well as suitable nitrogen content. Being used as a solid-state CO2 adsorbent, the obtained product exhibited a high CO2 adsorption capacity of 3.1 mmol g-1 under 1 bar and 25 °C and a remarkable reusability of 96.7% retention after 20 adsorption/regeneration cycles. Our study reveals that choosing a good biomass source was significant as the unique structure of precursor endows the carbonized product with abundant pores without the need of any post-treatment. Used as an electrode material in electrochemical capacitor, the non-activated porous carbon displayed a fairly high specific capacitance of 228.9 F g-1 at 0.5 A g-1 and an outstanding stability of 99.2% retention after 5000 cycles at 5 A g-1. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

  16. Kinetic Study of Water Contaminants Adsorption by Bamboo Granular Activated and Non-Activated Carbon

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Opololaoluwa Oladimarun Ijaola

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available The adsorptive capacity of metal ions from surface water with activated and non-activated carbon derived from bamboo was investigated. The validation of adsorption kinetics of Cl, PO4 and Pb was done by pseudo-first and second order model while adsorption isotherms was proved by Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm model for activated and non- activated bamboo granular carbon. Generally, the amount of metal ions uptake increases with time and activation levels and the pH of bamboo granular carbon increase with activation. Similarly, the pore space of the activated carbon also increases with activation levels. The correlation coefficients (R2 show that the pseudo-second order model gave a better fit to the adsorption process with 0.9918 as the least value and 1.00 as the highest value as compared with the pseudo-first order with 0.813 as the highest value and 0 as the least. The Freundlich isotherm was more favorable when compared with the Langmuir isotherm in determining the adsorptive capacity of bamboo granular activated carbon. The study has shown that chemical activation increases the pore space, surface area and the pH of bamboo granular carbon which ultimately increases the adsorption rate of metal ions in the contaminated surface water.

  17. Sorption of mercury by activated carbon in the presence of flue gas components

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Diamantopoulou, Ir.; Skodras, G.; Sakellaropoulos, G.P.

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of the current study is to evaluate the mercury removal ability of F400 and Norit FGD activated carbons, through fixed bed adsorption tests at inert atmosphere (Hg + N 2 ). Additionally, adsorption tests were realized on F400 activated carbon, in the presence of HCl, O 2 , SO 2 and CO 2 in nitrogen flow. The obtained results, revealed that F400 activated carbon, with a high-developed micropore structure and increased BET area, exhibit larger Hg adsorptive capacity compared to Norit. HCl and O 2 , can strongly affect mercury adsorption, owing to heterogeneous oxidation and chemisorption reactions, which is in accordance with the assumptions of some researchers. Additionally, SO 2 presence enhances mercury adsorption, in contrast with the conclusions evaluated in other studies. The above result could be attributed to the possible formation of sulphur spaces on activated carbon surface and consist of a clarification for the role of SO 2 on mercury adsorption. On the contrary, the mercury adsorption efficiency of F400 activated carbon showed a decrease at about 25%, with increasing CO 2 concentration from 0 to 12%. (author)

  18. Sorption of mercury by activated carbon in the presence of flue gas components

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Diamantopoulou, Ir. [Chemical Process Engineering Laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki (Greece); Skodras, G. [Institute for Solid Fuels Technology and Applications, Ptolemais (Greece); Sakellaropoulos, G.P. [Chemical Process Engineering Laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki (Greece); Laboratory of Energy and Environmental Processes, Chemical Process Engineering Research Institute, Thessaloniki (Greece)

    2010-02-15

    The purpose of the current study is to evaluate the mercury removal ability of F400 and Norit FGD activated carbons, through fixed bed adsorption tests at inert atmosphere (Hg + N{sub 2}). Additionally, adsorption tests were realized on F400 activated carbon, in the presence of HCl, O{sub 2}, SO{sub 2} and CO{sub 2} in nitrogen flow. The obtained results, revealed that F400 activated carbon, with a high-developed micropore structure and increased BET area, exhibit larger Hg adsorptive capacity compared to Norit. HCl and O{sub 2}, can strongly affect mercury adsorption, owing to heterogeneous oxidation and chemisorption reactions, which is in accordance with the assumptions of some researchers. Additionally, SO{sub 2} presence enhances mercury adsorption, in contrast with the conclusions evaluated in other studies. The above result could be attributed to the possible formation of sulphur spaces on activated carbon surface and consist of a clarification for the role of SO{sub 2} on mercury adsorption. On the contrary, the mercury adsorption efficiency of F400 activated carbon showed a decrease at about 25%, with increasing CO{sub 2} concentration from 0 to 12%. (author)

  19. Persulfate Oxidation Regeneration of Granular Activated Carbon: Reversible Impacts on Sorption Behavior

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chemical oxidation regeneration of granular activated carbon (GAC) is a developing technology that can be carried out utilizing thermally-activated persulfate. During chemical regeneration of GAC, aggressive oxidative conditions lead to high acidity (pH < 2) and the accumulation ...

  20. Preparation And Characterization Of Cr/Activated Carbon Catalyst From Palm Empty Fruit Bunch

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zainal Fanani

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Preparation and characterization of Cr/activated carbon catalyst from palm empty fruit bunch had been done. The research were to determine the effect of carbonization temperature towards adsorption of ammonia, iodine number, metilen blue number, and porosity of activated carbon and Cr/activated carbon catalyst. The determination of porosity include surface area, micropore volume and total pore volume. The results showed the best carbonization temperature activated carbon and Cr/activated carbon catalyst at 700°C. The adsorption ammonia of activated carbon and Cr/activated carbon catalyst as 6.379 mmol/g and 8.1624 mmol/g. The iodine number of activated carbon and Cr/activated carbon catalyst as 1520.16 mg/g and 1535.67 mg/g. The metilen blue number of activated carbon and Cr/activated carbon catalyst as 281.71 mg/g and 319.18 mg/g. The surface area of activated carbon and Cr/activated carbon catalyst as 1527.80 m2/g and 1652.58 m2/g. The micropore volume of activated carbon and Cr/activated carbon catalyst as 0.7460 cm3/g and 0.8670 cm3/g. The total pore volume of activated carbon and Cr/activated carbon catalyst as 0.8243 cm3/g and 0.8970 cm3/g.

  1. Adsorption Study of Cobalt on Treated Granular Activated Carbon

    OpenAIRE

    Y. V. Hete; S. B. Gholase; R. U. Khope

    2012-01-01

    This study is carried out for the removal of cobalt from aqueous solution using granular activated carbon in combination with p-nitro benzoic acid at temperature 25±1 °C. The adsorption isotherm of cobalt on granular activated carbon has been determined and the data fitted reasonably well to the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm for activated carbon.

  2. Simultaneous removal of ammonia and N-nitrosamine precursors from high ammonia water by zeolite and powdered activated carbon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xue, Runmiao; Donovan, Ariel; Zhang, Haiting; Ma, Yinfa; Adams, Craig; Yang, John; Hua, Bin; Inniss, Enos; Eichholz, Todd; Shi, Honglan

    2018-02-01

    When adding sufficient chlorine to achieve breakpoint chlorination to source water containing high concentration of ammonia during drinking water treatment, high concentrations of disinfection by-products (DBPs) may form. If N-nitrosamine precursors are present, highly toxic N-nitrosamines, primarily N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), may also form. Removing their precursors before disinfection should be a more effective way to minimize these DBPs formation. In this study, zeolites and activated carbon were examined for ammonia and N-nitrosamine precursor removal when incorporated into drinking water treatment processes. The test results indicate that Mordenite zeolite can remove ammonia and five of seven N-nitrosamine precursors efficiently by single step adsorption test. The practical applicability was evaluated by simulation of typical drinking water treatment processes using six-gang stirring system. The Mordenite zeolite was applied at the steps of lime softening, alum coagulation, and alum coagulation with powdered activated carbon (PAC) sorption. While the lime softening process resulted in poor zeolite performance, alum coagulation did not impact ammonia and N-nitrosamine precursor removal. During alum coagulation, more than 67% ammonia and 70%-100% N-nitrosamine precursors were removed by Mordenite zeolite (except 3-(dimethylaminomethyl)indole (DMAI) and 4-dimethylaminoantipyrine (DMAP)). PAC effectively removed DMAI and DMAP when added during alum coagulation. A combination of the zeolite and PAC selected efficiently removed ammonia and all tested seven N-nitrosamine precursors (dimethylamine (DMA), ethylmethylamine (EMA), diethylamine (DEA), dipropylamine (DPA), trimethylamine (TMA), DMAP, and DMAI) during the alum coagulation process. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  3. Selection of pecan shell-based activated carbons for removal of organic and inorganic impurities from water.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Niandou, Mohamed A S; Novak, Jeffrey M; Bansode, Rishipal R; Yu, Jianmei; Rehrah, Djaafar; Ahmedna, Mohamed

    2013-01-01

    Activated carbons are a byproduct from pyrolysis and have value as a purifying agent. The effectiveness of activated carbons is dependent on feedstock selection and pyrolysis conditions that modify their surface properties. Therefore, pecan shell-based activated carbons (PSACs) were prepared by soaking shells in 50% (v/v) HPO or 25 to 50% of KOH-NaHCO followed by pyrolysis at 400 to 700°C under a N atmosphere. Physically activated PSACs were produced by pyrolysis at 700°C under N followed by activation with steam or CO at 700 to 900°C. Physicochemical, surface, and adsorption properties of the PSACs were compared with two commercially available activated carbons. The average mass yield of PSACs with respect to the initial mass of the biomass was about 20 and 34% for physically activated and chemically activated carbons, respectively. Acid-activated carbons exhibited higher surface area, higher bulk density, and lower ash content compared with steam- or CO-activated carbons and the two commercial products. Base activation led to the development of biochar with moderate to high surface area with surface charges suitable for adsorption of anionic species. Regardless of the activation method, PSACs had high total surface area ranging from 400 to 1000 m g, better pore size distribution, and more surface charges than commercial samples. Our results also showed that PSACs were effective in removing inorganic contaminants such as Cu and NO as well as organic contaminants such as atrazine and metolachlor. This study showed that pyrolysis conditions and activation had a large influence on the PSAC's surface characteristics, which can limit its effectiveness as a custom sorbent for targeted water contaminants. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

  4. Removal of imidacloprid using activated carbon produced from ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    In this study, Ricinodendron heudelotii (akpi) shells are used as precursor to prepare activated carbon via chemical activation using phosphoric acid. The characterization of the obtained activated carbon is performed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Boehm titration method and adsorption of acetic acid. The results show that ...

  5. Preparation and characterization of high-surface-area activated carbon fibers from silkworm cocoon waste for congo red adsorption

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Jia; Ng, Dickon H.L.; Song, Peng; Kong, Chao; Song, Yi; Yang, Ping

    2015-01-01

    Herein, we report the preparation of activated carbon fibers from silkworm cocoon waste via the combination of (NH 4 ) 2 HPO 4 -pretreatment and KOH activation. The morphology, phase structure and surface chemistry constitute of the obtained ACFs were characterized by X-ray diffraction, IR spectroscopy, Micro Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, thermal analysis and N 2 adsorption–desorption isotherm. The effects of various factors such as the concentration of (NH 4 ) 2 HPO 4 and the activation time of KOH were also evaluated. These results demonstrated that the synthesized ACFs retained the fibrous morphology of silkworm cocoon waste, and exhibited highly defective graphite layer structure. A large amount of surface oxygen-containing functional groups were found on the ACFs surface. The obtained samples exhibited high BET surface areas ranging from 1153 to 2797 m 2  g −1 , total pore volumes of 0.64–1.74 cm 3  g −1 with micropore volume fractions between 75.2 and 93.6%. In addition, we also evaluated the congo red (CR) adsorption performance of the obtained ACFs. The CR adsorption fitted well to the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Adsorption isotherm data indicated that the adsorption of CR onto ACFs was monolayer adsorption which followed well the Langmuir isotherm model. The maximum adsorption capacity of CR was 512 g kg −1 . The mechanism of the adsorption process was also described from the intraparticle diffusion model. - Highlights: • A new biomass fibroin precursor for activated carbon fibers (ACFs) was proposed. • High specific surface area (2797 m 2  g −1 ) and total pore volume (1.74 cm 3  g −1 ) were obtained. • The original fibrous structure of raw silkworm cocoons was retained in the ACF product. • Congo red maximum monolayer adsorption capacity of our ACF product was up to 1100 g kg −1

  6. Preparation of nanoporous activated carbon and its application as nano adsorbent for CO{sub 2} storage

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rashidi, Ali Morad; Kazemi, Davood; Izadi, Nosrat; Pourkhalil, Mahnaz; Jorsaraei, Abbas; Lotfi, Roghayeh [Research Institute of Petroleum Industry, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Ganji, Enseyeh [Research Institute of Petroleum Industry, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

    2016-02-15

    Nanoporous activated carbons, as adsorbent for CO{sub 2} storage, were prepared from walnut shells via two chemical processes including phosphoric acid treatment and KOH activation at high temperature. Specific surface area and porosities were controlled by KOH concentration and activation temperature. The obtained adsorbents were characterized by N2 adsorption at 77.3 K. Their carbon dioxide adsorption capacities were measured at different pressures at 290 K by using volumetric adsorption equipment. The KOH-treated nanoporous carbons typically led to the production of high specific surface areas and high micropore volumes and showed better performance for CO{sub 2} adsorptions. The maximum experimental value for adsorption capacity happened when pressure increased from 5 to 10 bar (1.861- 2.873mmol·g{sup -1}). It was found that in order to improve the highest capacity of CO{sub 2} adsorption for KOH-modified carbon (9.830-18.208mmol·g{sup -1}), a KOH: C weight ratio of 3.5 and activation temperature of 973 K were more suitable for pore development and micro-mesopore volume enhancement.

  7. From carbon nanostructures to high-performance sorbents for chromatographic separation and preconcentration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Postnov, V N; Rodinkov, O V; Moskvin, L N; Novikov, A G; Bugaichenko, A S; Krokhina, O A

    2016-01-01

    Information on carbon nanostructures (fullerenes, nanotubes, graphene, nanodiamond and nanodispersed active carbon) used to develop high-performance sorbents of organics and heavy metal ions from aqueous solutions is collected and analyzed. The advantages in the synthesis of hybrid carbon nanostructures and the possibilities of surface modification of these systems in order to carry out fast sorption pre-concentration are considered. Prospects for application of these materials in sorption technologies and analytical chemistry are discussed. The bibliography includes 364 references

  8. Activated Carbon, Carbon Nanofiber and Carbon Nanotube Supported Molybdenum Carbide Catalysts for the Hydrodeoxygenation of Guaiacol

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eduardo Santillan-Jimenez

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Molybdenum carbide was supported on three types of carbon support—activated carbon; multi-walled carbon nanotubes; and carbon nanofibers—using ammonium molybdate and molybdic acid as Mo precursors. The use of activated carbon as support afforded an X-ray amorphous Mo phase, whereas crystalline molybdenum carbide phases were obtained on carbon nanofibers and, in some cases, on carbon nanotubes. When the resulting catalysts were tested in the hydrodeoxygenation (HDO of guaiacol in dodecane, catechol and phenol were obtained as the main products, although in some instances significant amounts of cyclohexane were produced. The observation of catechol in all reaction mixtures suggests that guaiacol was converted into phenol via sequential demethylation and HDO, although the simultaneous occurrence of a direct demethoxylation pathway cannot be discounted. Catalysts based on carbon nanofibers generally afforded the highest yields of phenol; notably, the only crystalline phase detected in these samples was Mo2C or Mo2C-ζ, suggesting that crystalline Mo2C is particularly selective to phenol. At 350 °C, carbon nanofiber supported Mo2C afforded near quantitative guaiacol conversion, the selectivity to phenol approaching 50%. When guaiacol HDO was performed in the presence of acetic acid and furfural, guaiacol conversion decreased, although the selectivity to both catechol and phenol was increased.

  9. Carbon nanotubes as nanotexturing agents for high power supercapacitors based on seaweed carbons.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raymundo-Piñero, Encarnación; Cadek, Martin; Wachtler, Mario; Béguin, François

    2011-07-18

    The advantages provided by multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as backbones for composite supercapacitor electrodes are discussed. This paper particularly highlights the electrochemical properties of carbon composites obtained by pyrolysis of seaweed/CNTs blends. Due to the nanotexturing effect of CNTs, supercapacitors fabricated with electrodes from these composites exhibit enhanced electrochemical performances compared with CNT-free carbons. The cell resistance is dramatically reduced by the excellent conductivity of CNTs and by the good propagation of ions favored by the presence of opened mesopores. As a consequence, the specific power of supercapacitors based on these nanocomposites is very high. Another advantage related to the presence of CNTs is a better life cycle of the systems. The composite electrodes are resilient during the charge/discharge of capacitors; these are able to perfectly accommodate the dimensional changes appearing in the active material without mechanical damages. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  10. Optimisation and significance of ATP analysis for measuring active biomass in granular activated carbon filters used in water treatment

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Magic-Knezev, A.; Kooij, van der D.

    2004-01-01

    A method for determining the concentration of active microbial biomass in granular activated carbon (GAC) filters used in water treatment was developed to facilitate studies on the interactions between adsorption processes and biological activity in such filters. High-energy sonication at a power

  11. Carbon nanomaterials for high-performance supercapacitors

    OpenAIRE

    Tao Chen; Liming Dai

    2013-01-01

    Owing to their high energy density and power density, supercapacitors exhibit great potential as high-performance energy sources for advanced technologies. Recently, carbon nanomaterials (especially, carbon nanotubes and graphene) have been widely investigated as effective electrodes in supercapacitors due to their high specific surface area, excellent electrical and mechanical properties. This article summarizes the recent progresses on the development of high-performance supercapacitors bas...

  12. Dendritic Tip-on Polytriazine-Based Carbon Nitride Photocatalyst with High Hydrogen Evolution Activity

    KAUST Repository

    Bhunia, Manas Kumar

    2015-11-23

    Developing stable, ubiquitous and efficient water-splitting photocatalyst material that has extensive absorption in the visible-light range is desired for a sustainable solar energy-conversion device. We herein report a triazine-based carbon nitride (CN) material with different C/N ratios achieved by varying the monomer composition ratio between melamine (Mel) and 2,4,6-triaminopyrimidine (TAP). The CN material with a different C/N ratio was obtained through a two-step synthesis protocol: starting with the solution state dispersion of the monomers via hydrogen-bonding supramolecular aggregate, followed by a salt-melt high temperature polycondensation. This protocol ensures the production of a highly crystalline polytriazine imide (PTI) structure con-sisting of a copolymerized Mel-TAP network. The observed bandgap narrowing with an increasing TAP/Mel ratio is well simulated by density functional theory (DFT) calculations, revealing a positive shift in the valence band upon substitution of N with CH in the aromatic rings. Increasing the TAP amount could not maintain the crystalline PTI structure, consistent with DFT calculation showing the repulsion associated with additional C-H introduced in the aromatic rings. Due to the high exciton binding energy calculated by DFT for the obtained CN, the cocatalyst must be close to any portion of the material to assist the separation of excit-ed charge carriers for an improved photocatalytic performance. The photocatalytic activity was improved by providing a dendritic tip-on-like shape grown on a porous fibrous silica KCC-1 spheres, and highly dispersed Pt nanoparticles (<5 nm) were photodepos-ited to introduce heterojunction. As a result, the Pt/CN/KCC-1 photocatalyst exhibited an apparent quantum efficiency (AQE) as high as 22.1 ± 3% at 400 nm and the silica was also beneficial for improving photocatalytic stability. The results obtained by time-resolved transient absorption spectroscopy measurements were consistent with

  13. Adsorption Study of Cobalt on Treated Granular Activated Carbon

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Y. V. Hete

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available This study is carried out for the removal of cobalt from aqueous solution using granular activated carbon in combination with p-nitro benzoic acid at temperature 25±1 °C. The adsorption isotherm of cobalt on granular activated carbon has been determined and the data fitted reasonably well to the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm for activated carbon.

  14. CO{sub 2} capture using fly ash-derived activated carbons impregnated with low molecular mass amines

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Karl M. Smith; Ana Arenillas; Trevor C. Drage; Colin E. Snape [University of Nottingham, Nottingham (United Kingdom). Nottingham Fuel and Energy Centre, School of Chemical, Environmental and Mining Engineering

    2005-07-01

    At the Nottingham Fuel and Energy centre, a program is underway to develop high capacity CO{sub 2} sorbents for flue gas from large point sources such as fossil-fuel power plants. Two different approaches are presented here. Firstly, the modification of the surface chemistry of low cost carbos by impregnation with a basic nitrogen-containing polymer and different amines is described. Secondly, the development of high nitrogen content carbon matrix adsorbents by carbonization and subsequent thermal or chemical activation of a range of materials is summarised. Such high nitrogen content adsorbents, generated at high temperature, are advantageous as their inherent thermal stability will minimise alteration during multiple adsorption and regeneration cycles. Relatively low MM amines, namely diethanolamine and (DEA, MM 105) and tetraethylenepentaamineacrylonitrile (TEPAN, MM 311) are used to produce high capacity CO{sub 2} sorbents from activated carbons derived form unburned carbon in fly ash, which have low mesoporosities. The unburned carbons were obtained through the froth flotation and dry-sieving of fly ash and their activation was performed using, variously, steam and CO{sub 2}. It was found that the impregnation of a fly-ash derived carbon with amines can produce CO{sub 2} sorbents, with uptakes up to 5 wt% at 75{degree}C. Nitrogen incorporation in carbon materials generally promotes the adsorption of CO{sub 2} with the process being totally reversible but, although the amount of nitrogen incorporated into the adsorbent is important, nitrogen functionality is also important. 9 refs., 2 figs.

  15. Climate policy and the optimal extraction of high- and low-carbon fossil fuels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Smulders, S.; Van der Werf, E.

    2005-01-01

    We study how restricting CO2 emissions affects resource prices and depletion over time. We use a Hotelling-style model with two non- renewable fossil fuels that differ in their carbon content (e.g. coal and natural gas) and that are imperfect substitutes in final good production. We study both an unexpected constraint and an anticipated constraint. Both shocks induce intertemporal substitution of resource use. When emissions are unexpectedly restricted, it is cost-effective to use high-carbon resources relatively more (less) intensively on impact if this resource is relatively scarce (abundant). If the emission constraint is anticipated, it is cost-effective to use relatively more (less) of the low-carbon input before the constraint becomes binding, in order to conserve relatively more (less) of the high-carbon input for the period when climate policy is active in case the high-carbon resource is relatively scarce (abundant)

  16. Study of adsorption properties on lithium doped activated carbon materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Los, S.; Daclaux, L.; Letellier, M.; Azais, P.

    2005-01-01

    A volumetric method was applied to study an adsorption coefficient of hydrogen molecules in a gas phase on super activated carbon surface. The investigations were focused on getting the best possible materials for the energy storage. Several treatments on raw samples were used to improve adsorption properties. The biggest capacities were obtain after high temperature treatment at reduced atmosphere. The adsorption coefficient at 77 K and 2 MPa amounts to 3.158 wt.%. The charge transfer between lithium and carbon surface groups via the doping reaction enhanced the energy of adsorption. It was also found that is a gradual decrease in the adsorbed amount of H 2 molecules due to occupation active sites by lithium ions. (author)

  17. ADSORPTION PROPERTIES OF NICKEL-BASED MAGNETIC ACTIVATED CARBON PREPARED BY PD-FREE ELECTROLESS PLATING

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Boyang Jia

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available Nickel-based magnetic activated carbon was synthesized from coconut shell activated carbon by electroless plating with palladium-free activation. The effect of plating solution volume on metallic ratio and adsorption capacity were evaluated. The effect of metallic ratio on specific area, pore volume, and magnetic properties were investigated. The morphologies of activated carbon before and after plating were observed by SEM, and the composition of the layer was analyzed by EDS analysis. The results showed that the metallic ratio was increased with the increase of the plating solution volume. The magnetic activated carbon showed high adsorption capacity for methylene blue and a high iodine number. Those values reached 142.5 mg/g and 1035 mg/g, respectively. The specific area and pore volume decreased from 943 m2/g to 859 m2/g and 0.462 ml/g to 0.417 ml/g, respectively. And the layer was more compact and continuous when the metallic ratio reached 16.37 wt.%. In the layer, there was about 97 wt.% nickel and 3 wt.% phosphorus, which indicates that the layer was a low-phosphorus one. At the same time, magnetism was enhanced, making the product suitable for some special applications.

  18. Urea adsorption by activated carbon prepared from palm kernel shell

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ooi, Chee-Heong; Sim, Yoke-Leng; Yeoh, Fei-Yee

    2017-07-01

    Dialysis treatment is crucial for patients suffer from renal failure. The dialysis system removes the uremic toxin to a safe level in a patient's body. One of the major limitations of the current hemodialysis system is the capability to efficiently remove uremic toxins from patient's body. Nanoporous materials can be applied to improve the treatment. Palm kernel shell (PKS) biomass generated from palm oil mills can be utilized to prepare high quality nanoporous activated carbon (AC) and applied for urea adsorption in the dialysis system. In this study, AC was prepared from PKS via different carbonization temperatures and followed by carbon dioxide gas activation processes. The physical and chemical properties of the samples were studied. The results show that the porous AC with BET surface areas ranging from 541 to 622 m2g-1 and with total pore volumes varying from 0.254 to 0.297 cm3g-1, are formed with different carbonization temperatures. The equilibrium constant for urea adsorption by AC samples carbonized at 400, 500 and 600 °C are 0.091, 0.287 and 0.334, respectively. The increase of carbonization temperatures from 400 to 600 °C resulted in the increase in urea adsorption by AC predominantly due to increase in surface area. The present study reveals the feasibility of preparing AC with good porosity from PKS and potentially applied in urea adsorption application.

  19. Carbon-cycle effects of differences in soil moisture and soil extracellular enzyme activity at sites representing different land-use histories in high-elevation Ecuadorian páramo landscapes

    Science.gov (United States)

    McKnight, J.; Harden, C. P.; Schaeffer, S. M.

    2016-12-01

    Ecuadorian páramo grasslands are important regional soil carbon sinks. In the páramo of the Mazar Wildlife Reserve, differences in soil carbon content among different types of land use may reflect changes in soil carbon-acquisition related microbial enzyme activity after land cover and soil moisture are altered; however, this hypothesis has not been tested explicitly for Ecuadorian páramos. This study used a fluorescence enzyme assay to assess the activities of four different extracellular enzymes representing carbon acquisition: α-glucosidase, β-glucosidase, β-D-cellulobiohydrolase, and β-xylosidase in Andean páramo soils. Acquisition activities were also measured for nitrogen (N-acetyl-β-glucosidase and leucine aminopeptidase) and phosphorus (phosphatase) to assess stoichiometric differences between land-uses, which can affect soil microbial activity related to carbon acquisition. Soils were analyzed from four land uses: native forest, grass páramo, recently burned grass páramo, and non-native pine plantation. Carbon acquisition activity was highest at the pine site (678 nmol h-1 g-1) and lowest at the recently burned páramo site (252 nmol h-1 g-1), indicating the lowest and highest available soil carbon, respectively. Carbon-acquisition EE activity was significantly higher at the grass páramo site (595 nmol h-1 g-1) than at the recently burned páramo and native forest sites. At the grass páramo site, a history of burning as a management strategy and high carbon-acquisition EE activity could indicate the presence of pyrogenic soil organic matter, which is more resistant to microbial decomposition. Soils at the native forest and both grassland sites were phosphorus limited, and soil at the pine site had higher nitrogen-acquisition activity, indicative of a shift to nitrogen-limited soil stoichiometric conditions. To our knowledge these are the first data reported for soil extracellular enzyme activities for Ecuadorian páramos.

  20. Influence of nitrogen surface functionalities on the catalytic activity of activated carbon in low temperature SCR of NOx with NH3

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Szymanski, Grzegorz S.; Grzybek, Teresa; Papp, Helmut

    2004-01-01

    The reduction of nitrogen oxide with ammonia was studied using carbon catalysts with chemically modified surfaces. Carbon samples with different surface chemistry were obtained from commercial activated carbon D43/1 (CarboTech, Essen, Germany) by chemical modification involving oxidation with conc. nitric acid (DOx) (1); high temperature treatment (=1000K) under vacuum (DHT) (2); or in ammonia (DHTN, DOxN) (3). Additionally, a portion of the DOx sample was promoted with iron(III) ions (DOxFe). The catalytic tests were performed in a microreactor at a temperature range of 413-573K. The carbon sample annealed under vacuum (DHT) showed the lowest activity. The formation of surface acidic surface oxides by nitric acid treatment (DOx) enhanced the catalytic activity only slightly. However, as can be expected, subsequent promotion of the DOx sample with iron(III) ions increased drastically its catalytic activity. However, this was accompanied by some loss of selectivity, i.e. formation of N 2 O as side product. This effect can be avoided using ammonia-treated carbons which demonstrated reasonable activity with simultaneous high selectivity. The most active and selective among them was the sample that was first oxidized with nitric acid and then heated in an ammonia stream (DOxN). A correlation between catalytic activity and surface nitrogen content was observed. Surface nitrogen species seem to play an important role in catalytic selective reduction of nitrogen oxide with ammonia, possibly facilitating NO 2 formation (a reaction intermediate) as a result of easier chemisorption of oxygen and nitrogen oxide

  1. Facile preparation of nitrogen-doped hierarchical porous carbon with high performance in supercapacitors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yan, Kun; Kong, Ling-Bin; Shen, Kui-Wen; Dai, Yan-Hua; Shi, Ming; Hu, Bing; Luo, Yong-Chun; Kang, Long

    2016-01-01

    Graphical abstract: Preparing and activating process of nitrogen-doped hierarchical porous carbon (NHPC). - Highlights: • The well-defined PAN-b-PMMA copolymer was synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization with narrow molecular weight distribution. • Nitrogen-doped hierarchical porous structure (NHPC) was prepared through a simple carbonization procedure of PAN-b-PMMA precursor. • NHPC possessed hierarchical porous structure with high BET surface area of 257 m"2 g"−"1 and DFT mesopore size of 14.61 nm. • Effects of activation conditions on supercapacitive behavior were systematically studied. - Abstract: The nitrogen-doped hierarchical porous carbon (NHPC) material was successfully prepared through a simple carbonization procedure of well-defined diblock copolymer precursor containing nitrogen-enriched carbon source, i.e., polyacrylonitrile (PAN), and asacrificial block, i.e., polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA). PAN-b-PMMA diblock copolymer was synthesized by atom transfer radical polymeriation (ATRP) with narrow molecular weight distribution. The as-obtained NHPC possessed nitrogen-doped hierarchical porous structure with high BET surface area of 257 m"2 g"−"1 and Nonlocal density functional theory (NLDFT) mesopore size of 14.61 nm. Surface activated nitrogen-doped hierarchical porous carbon (A-NHPC) materials were obtained by subsequent surface activation with HNO_3 solution. The effects of activation conditions on supercapacitive behavior were systematically studied, a maximum specific capacitance of 314 F g"−"1 at a current density of 0.5 A g"−"1 was achieved in 2 M KOH aqueous electrolyte. Simultaneously, it exhibited excellent rate capability of 67.8% capacitance retention as the current density increased from 0.5 to 20 A g"−"1 and superior cycling performance of 90% capacitance retention after 10,000 cycles at the current density of 2 A g"−"1.

  2. Facile preparation of nitrogen-doped hierarchical porous carbon with high performance in supercapacitors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yan, Kun [State Key Laboratory of Advanced Processing and Recycling of Non-ferrous Metals, Lanzhou University of Technology, Lanzhou 730050 (China); Kong, Ling-Bin, E-mail: konglb@lut.cn [State Key Laboratory of Advanced Processing and Recycling of Non-ferrous Metals, Lanzhou University of Technology, Lanzhou 730050 (China); School of Materials Science and Engineering, Lanzhou University of Technology, Lanzhou 730050 (China); Shen, Kui-Wen; Dai, Yan-Hua; Shi, Ming; Hu, Bing [State Key Laboratory of Advanced Processing and Recycling of Non-ferrous Metals, Lanzhou University of Technology, Lanzhou 730050 (China); Luo, Yong-Chun; Kang, Long [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Lanzhou University of Technology, Lanzhou 730050 (China)

    2016-02-28

    Graphical abstract: Preparing and activating process of nitrogen-doped hierarchical porous carbon (NHPC). - Highlights: • The well-defined PAN-b-PMMA copolymer was synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization with narrow molecular weight distribution. • Nitrogen-doped hierarchical porous structure (NHPC) was prepared through a simple carbonization procedure of PAN-b-PMMA precursor. • NHPC possessed hierarchical porous structure with high BET surface area of 257 m{sup 2} g{sup −1} and DFT mesopore size of 14.61 nm. • Effects of activation conditions on supercapacitive behavior were systematically studied. - Abstract: The nitrogen-doped hierarchical porous carbon (NHPC) material was successfully prepared through a simple carbonization procedure of well-defined diblock copolymer precursor containing nitrogen-enriched carbon source, i.e., polyacrylonitrile (PAN), and asacrificial block, i.e., polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA). PAN-b-PMMA diblock copolymer was synthesized by atom transfer radical polymeriation (ATRP) with narrow molecular weight distribution. The as-obtained NHPC possessed nitrogen-doped hierarchical porous structure with high BET surface area of 257 m{sup 2} g{sup −1} and Nonlocal density functional theory (NLDFT) mesopore size of 14.61 nm. Surface activated nitrogen-doped hierarchical porous carbon (A-NHPC) materials were obtained by subsequent surface activation with HNO{sub 3} solution. The effects of activation conditions on supercapacitive behavior were systematically studied, a maximum specific capacitance of 314 F g{sup −1} at a current density of 0.5 A g{sup −1} was achieved in 2 M KOH aqueous electrolyte. Simultaneously, it exhibited excellent rate capability of 67.8% capacitance retention as the current density increased from 0.5 to 20 A g{sup −1} and superior cycling performance of 90% capacitance retention after 10,000 cycles at the current density of 2 A g{sup −1}.

  3. The effect of variations in carbon activity on the carburization of austenitic steels in sodium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gwyther, J.R.; Hobdell, M.R.; Hooper, A.J.

    1978-07-01

    Experience has shown that the liquid sodium coolant of fast breeder reactors is an effective carbon-transport medium; the resulting carburization of thin austenitic stainless steel components (eg IHX and fuel cladding) could adversely affect their mechanical integrity. The degree and nature of steel carburization depend, inter alia, on the carbon activity of the sodium environment. Exploratory tests are described in which specimens of austenitic stainless steel were carburized in sodium, the carbon activity of which was continuously monitored by a BNL electrochemical carbon meter. The sodium carbon activity was initially high, but decreased with time, simulating conditions equivalent to plant start-up or coolant clean-up following accidental oil ingress. The extent and nature of steel carburization was identified by metallography, electron microscopy, X-ray crystallography and chemical analysis. (author)

  4. Optimization of microwave-assisted durian seed based activated carbon preparation conditions for methylene blue dye removal

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahmad, Mohd Azmier; Hamid, Siti Ruqayyah Ab.; Yusop, Mohamad Firdaus Mohamad; Aziz, Hamidi Abdul

    2017-10-01

    Due to easy access and relatively high fixed carbon content of 26.13% in its raw form, durian seed based activated carbon (DSAC) was produced via microwave heating. For activation stage, physiochemical approach consist of carbon dioxide (CO2) gasification and potassium hydroxide (KOH) as chemical activator were employed. Three most influential preparation variables on adsorption performance and yield of activated carbon (AC), which is radiation power, radiation time and KOH impregnation ratio (IR) were optimized with the help of response surface methodology (RSM). The optimization result revealed that 440W, 4.0 minutes and 0.55 of radiation power, radiation time and IR respectively, were needed to remove 80.23% of methylene blue (MB) dye and to obtain 25.77% of DSAC's yield. High Brunauer-Emmet-Teller (BET) surface area, total pore volume and average pore size of 852.30m2/g, 0.465cm3/g and 3.74nm respectively, were obtained on optimized DSAC.

  5. Facile synthesis of NiS anchored carbon nanofibers for high-performance supercapacitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Jinling; Zhang, Li; Xu, Guancheng; Sun, Zhipeng; Zhang, Chi; Ma, Xin; Qi, Chunling; Zhang, Lu; Jia, Dianzeng

    2018-03-01

    Transition metal sulfide compounds with carbon materials are promising for high-performance supercapacitors. Carbon nanofibers (CNFs) wrapped with NiS nanoparticles were herein obtained through electrospinning and calcination. NiS nanoparticles in composite nanofibers are covered by a layer of graphitic carbon, which not only increase the conductivity but also provide active regions for nanoparticle growth to prevent aggregation. The CNFs-NiS electrode has high specific capacity of 177.1 mAh g-1 at 1 A g-1 (0.41 mAh cm-2 at a current density of 2.3 mA cm-2) and long-term cycling stability, with 88.7% capacitance retention after 5000 cycles. The excellent electrochemical activity may be attributed to the accessible specific surface, unique porous structure of CNFs and high specific capacitance of NiS. In addition, the asymmetric supercapacitor has an enhanced volumetric energy density of 13.32 mWh cm-3 at a volumetric power density of 180 mW cm-3 and high cycling stability, with 89.5% capacitance retention after 5000 cycles. It also successfully lights up a light-emitting diode. The CNFs-NiS composite has significant potential applications in supercapacitor.

  6. Modeling and preparation of activated carbon for methane storage II. Neural network modeling and experimental studies of the activated carbon preparation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Namvar-Asl, Mahnaz; Soltanieh, Mohammad; Rashidi, Alimorad

    2008-01-01

    This study describes the activated carbon (AC) preparation for methane storage. Due to the need for the introduction of a model, correlating the effective preparation parameters with the characteristic parameters of the activated carbon, a model was developed by neural networks. In a previous study [Namvar-Asl M, Soltanieh M, Rashidi A, Irandoukht A. Modeling and preparation of activated carbon for methane storage: (I) modeling of activated carbon characteristics with neural networks and response surface method. Proceedings of CESEP07, Krakow, Poland; 2007.], the model was designed with the MATLAB toolboxes providing the best response for the correlation of the characteristics parameters and the methane uptake of the activated carbon. Regarding this model, the characteristics of the activated carbon were determined for a target methane uptake. After the determination of the characteristics, the demonstrated model of this work guided us to the selection of the effective AC preparation parameters. According to the modeling results, some samples were prepared and their methane storage capacity was measured. The results were compared with those of a target methane uptake (special amount of methane storage). Among the designed models, one of them illustrated the methane storage capacity of 180 v/v. It was finally found that the neural network modeling for the assay of the efficient AC preparation parameters was financially feasible, with respect to the determined methane storage capacity. This study could be useful for the development of the Adsorbed Natural Gas (ANG) technology

  7. Preparation of Activated Carbon from Palm Shells Using KOH and ZnCl2 as the Activating Agent

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yuliusman; Nasruddin; Afdhol, M. K.; Amiliana, R. A.; Hanafi, A.

    2017-07-01

    Palm shell is a potential source of raw materials for the produce of activated carbon as biosorbent for quite large numbers. The purpose of this study is to produce activated carbon qualified Indonesian Industrial Standard (SNI), which will be used as biosorbent to purify the impurities in the off gas petroleum refinery products. Stages of manufacture of activated carbon include carbonization, activation of chemistry and physics. Carbonization of activated carbon is done at a temperature of 400°C followed by chemical activation with active agent KOH and ZnCl2. Then the physical activation is done by flowing N2 gas for 1 hour at 850°C and followed by gas flow through the CO2 for 1 hour at 850°C. Research results indicate that activation of the active agent KOH produce activated carbon is better than using the active agent ZnCl2. The use of KOH as an active agent to produce activated carbon with a water content of 13.6%, ash content of 9.4%, iodine number of 884 mg/g and a surface area of 1115 m2/g. While the use of ZnCl2 as the active agent to produce activated carbon with a water content of 14.5%, total ash content of 9.0%, iodine number 648 mg/g and a surface area of 743 m2/g.

  8. Catalytic oxidation of sulfide in drinking water treatment: activated carbon as catalyst; Katalytische Oxidation von Sulfid bei der Trinkwasseraufbereitung: Aktivkohle als Katalysator

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hultsch, V; Grischek, T; Wolff, D; Worch, E [Technische Univ. Dresden (Germany). Inst. fuer Wasserchemie; Gun, J [Hebrew Univ. of Jerusalem (Israel). Div. of Environmental Sciences, Fredy and Nadine Herrmann School of Applied Science

    2001-07-01

    In regions with warm climate and limited water resources high sulfide concentrations in groundwater can cause problems during drinking water treatment. Aeration of the raw water is not always sufficient to ensure the hydrogen sulfide concentration below the odour threshold value for hydrogen sulfide. As an alternative, activated carbon can be used as a catalyst for sulfide oxidation of raw water. The use of different types of activated carbon was investigated in kinetic experiments. Both Catalytic Carbon from Calgon Carbon and granulated activated carbon from Norit showed high catalytic activities. The results of the experiments are discussed with regard to the practical use of activated carbon for the elimination of hydrogen sulfide during drinking water treatment. (orig.)

  9. Diclofenac removal from water with ozone and activated carbon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beltrán, Fernando J; Pocostales, Pablo; Alvarez, Pedro; Oropesa, Ana

    2009-04-30

    Diclofenac (DCF) has been treated in water with ozone in the presence of various activated carbons. Activated carbon-free ozonation or single ozonation leads to a complete degradation of DCF in less than 15 min while in the presence of activated carbons higher degradation rates of TOC and DCF are noticeably achieved. Among the activated carbons used, P110 Hydraffin was found the most suitable for the catalytic ozonation of DCF. The influence of pH was also investigated. In the case of the single ozonation the increasing pH slightly increases the TOC removal rate. This effect, however, was not so clear in the presence of activated carbons where the influence of the adsorption process must be considered. Ecotoxicity experiments were performed, pointing out that single ozonation reduces the toxicity of the contaminated water but catalytic ozonation improved those results. As far as kinetics is concerned, DCF is removed with ozone in a fast kinetic regime and activated carbon merely acts as a simple adsorbent. However, for TOC removal the ozonation kinetic regime becomes slow. In the absence of the adsorbent, the apparent rate constant of the mineralization process was determined at different pH values. On the other hand, determination of the rate constant of the catalytic reaction over the activated carbon was not possible due to the effect of mass transfer resistances that controlled the process rate at the conditions investigated.

  10. Activated carbon fiber obtained from textile PAN fiber to electrodes for supercapacitor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Silva, Elen Leal da; Marcuzzo, Jossano Saldanha; Baldan, Mauricio Ribeiro; Cuna, Andres; Rodrigues, Aline Castilho; Goncalves, Emerson Sarmento

    2016-01-01

    Full text: Supercapacitors are devices for electrical energy storage with application in distribution power generation, electric vehicles, electronic equipment, among others. Current challenges in the development of supercapacitors focuses on making an increasing on system density of energy. An increase of energy accumulated in the supercapacitor electrode can be achieved by developing materials with high specific electrical capacitance and low electrical resistance. Furthermore, it is expected that the electrode material present a simple procedure for obtaining, low cost and environmentally friendly. Carbon fibers are interesting materials for use as a supercapacitor electrode. Among them are carbon fibers from polyacrylonitrile (PAN). In this work were studied activated carbon fibers obtained from textile polyacrylonitrile (ACF-PAN) with deposition of Fe particles aiming to use as active material of supercapacitor electrodes. ACFPAN and ACF-PAN-Fe were characterized by textural analysis, x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy equipped with energy dispersive x-ray (SEM-EDX), Raman spectroscopy and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The behavior of the activated carbon fibers as a supercapacitor electrode was evaluated by galvanostatic charge and discharge curves, cyclic voltammetry and a electrochemical impedance using a symmetrical two-electrode Swagelok®-type cell and sulfuric acid as electrolyte. ACF-PAN had a high specific surface area, which makes it an interesting material for electrodes of supercapacitors. The electrical capacitance for the ACF-PAN is 96 F/g and ACF-PAN-Fe is 106 F/g both at a current density of 0.30 A/g. This increase in electrical capacitance can be related to the presence of iron oxides which are deposited on the activated carbon fiber. (author)

  11. Decontamination System Development of Radioative Activated Carbon using Micro-bubbles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jeon, Jong seon; Kim, Wi soo [NESS, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Han, Byoung sub. [Enesys Co., Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2016-10-15

    This study was aimed to develop a decontamination system by applying such technical characteristics that minimizes a generation of secondary wastes while decontaminating radiation wastes. The radioactive activated carbon is removed from the end-of-life air cleaning filter in replacement or decommission of nuclear power plant or nuclear facility. By removing radioactive activated carbon, the filter would be classified as a low radioactive contaminant. And thus the amount of radioactive wastes and the treatment cost would be decreased. We are in development of the activated carbon cleaning technique by utilizing micro-bubbles, which improve efficiency and minimize damage of activated carbon. The purpose of using micro-bubbles is to decontamination carbon micropore, which is difficult to access, by principle of cavitation phenomenon generated in collapse of micro-bubbles. In this study, we introduced the micro-bubble decontamination system developed to decontaminate activated carbon. For further researches, we will determine carbon weight change and the decontamination rate under the experimental conditions such as temperature and pH.

  12. Decontamination System Development of Radioative Activated Carbon using Micro-bubbles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jeon, Jong seon; Kim, Wi soo; Han, Byoung sub.

    2016-01-01

    This study was aimed to develop a decontamination system by applying such technical characteristics that minimizes a generation of secondary wastes while decontaminating radiation wastes. The radioactive activated carbon is removed from the end-of-life air cleaning filter in replacement or decommission of nuclear power plant or nuclear facility. By removing radioactive activated carbon, the filter would be classified as a low radioactive contaminant. And thus the amount of radioactive wastes and the treatment cost would be decreased. We are in development of the activated carbon cleaning technique by utilizing micro-bubbles, which improve efficiency and minimize damage of activated carbon. The purpose of using micro-bubbles is to decontamination carbon micropore, which is difficult to access, by principle of cavitation phenomenon generated in collapse of micro-bubbles. In this study, we introduced the micro-bubble decontamination system developed to decontaminate activated carbon. For further researches, we will determine carbon weight change and the decontamination rate under the experimental conditions such as temperature and pH

  13. Fabrication of highly electro catalytic active layer of multi walled carbon nanotube/enzyme for Pt-free dye sensitized solar cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Arbab, Alvira Ayoub, E-mail: alvira_arbab@yahoo.com [Department of Organic and Nano Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul 133-791 (Korea, Republic of); Sun, Kyung Chul, E-mail: hytec@hanyang.ac.kr [Department of Fuel cells and hydrogen technology, Hanyang University, Seoul 133-791 (Korea, Republic of); Sahito, Iftikhar Ali, E-mail: iftikhar.sahito@faculty.muet.edu.pk [Department of Organic and Nano Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul 133-791 (Korea, Republic of); Qadir, Muhammad Bilal, E-mail: bilal_ntu81@hotmail.com [Department of Organic and Nano Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul 133-791 (Korea, Republic of); Jeong, Sung Hoon, E-mail: shjeong@hanyang.ac.kr [Department of Organic and Nano Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul 133-791 (Korea, Republic of)

    2015-09-15

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • We prepared three different types of enzyme dispersed multiwall carbon nanotube (E-MWCNT) layer for application in Pt-free dye sensitized solar cell (DSSCs). • E-MWCNT catalysts exhibited an extremely good electro-catalytic activity (ECA), compared with the conventional catalyst, when synthesized with lipase enzyme. • E-MWCNT as counter electrode exhibits a high power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 7.5%, which can be compared to 8% efficiency of Pt catalyst. - Abstract: Highly dispersed conductive suspensions of multi walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) can have intrinsic electrical and electrochemical characteristics, which make them useful candidate for platinum (Pt)-free, dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). High energy conversion efficiency of 7.52% is demonstrated in DSSCs, based on enzyme dispersed MWCNT (E-MWCNT) layer deposited on fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) glass. The E-MWCNT layer shows a pivotal role as platform to reduce large amount of iodide species via electro catalytically active layer, fabricated by facile tape casting under air drying technique. The E-MWCNT layer with large surface area, high mechanical adhesion, and good interconnectivity is derived from an appropriate enzyme dispersion, which provides not only enhanced interaction sites for the electrolyte/counter electrode interface but also improved electron transport mechanism. The surface morphology and structural characterization were investigated using field emission-scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman spectroscopy and electronic microscopy techniques. Electro catalytic activity (ECA) and electrochemical properties of E-MWCNT counter electrode (CE) were investigated using cyclic voltammetry (CV), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements. The high power conversion efficiency (PCE) of E-MWCNT CE is associated with the low charge transfer

  14. Fabrication of highly electro catalytic active layer of multi walled carbon nanotube/enzyme for Pt-free dye sensitized solar cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Arbab, Alvira Ayoub; Sun, Kyung Chul; Sahito, Iftikhar Ali; Qadir, Muhammad Bilal; Jeong, Sung Hoon

    2015-01-01

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • We prepared three different types of enzyme dispersed multiwall carbon nanotube (E-MWCNT) layer for application in Pt-free dye sensitized solar cell (DSSCs). • E-MWCNT catalysts exhibited an extremely good electro-catalytic activity (ECA), compared with the conventional catalyst, when synthesized with lipase enzyme. • E-MWCNT as counter electrode exhibits a high power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 7.5%, which can be compared to 8% efficiency of Pt catalyst. - Abstract: Highly dispersed conductive suspensions of multi walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) can have intrinsic electrical and electrochemical characteristics, which make them useful candidate for platinum (Pt)-free, dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). High energy conversion efficiency of 7.52% is demonstrated in DSSCs, based on enzyme dispersed MWCNT (E-MWCNT) layer deposited on fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) glass. The E-MWCNT layer shows a pivotal role as platform to reduce large amount of iodide species via electro catalytically active layer, fabricated by facile tape casting under air drying technique. The E-MWCNT layer with large surface area, high mechanical adhesion, and good interconnectivity is derived from an appropriate enzyme dispersion, which provides not only enhanced interaction sites for the electrolyte/counter electrode interface but also improved electron transport mechanism. The surface morphology and structural characterization were investigated using field emission-scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman spectroscopy and electronic microscopy techniques. Electro catalytic activity (ECA) and electrochemical properties of E-MWCNT counter electrode (CE) were investigated using cyclic voltammetry (CV), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements. The high power conversion efficiency (PCE) of E-MWCNT CE is associated with the low charge transfer

  15. Effect of iron on the production of high electrocatalytic activity carbons from ferrocene - PFA mixtures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cashion, J.D.; Brown, L.J.; Ozaki, J.; Yamada, K.; Nozawa, K.; Matsui, K.; Oya, A.

    1999-01-01

    Full text: We have previously studied the carbonisation of mixtures of ferrocene and poly(furfury 1 alcohol) (PFA) which, after heating at 700 deg C, produces electrodes with an electrocatalytic activity comparable to that of platinum. The carbons have a distinctive furry structure under the SEM and an XRD profile characteristic of turbostratic carbon. The iron had been converted to a mixture of α- and γiron and cementite, Fe 3 C and we conjectured that the furry carbon could be formed by the exsolution of carbon from the γ iron on cooling. The present experiments have shown that changing the cooling rate has only a small effect so exsolution is not the cause. However, the increased conductivity correlates well with the proportion of turbostratic carbon which, in turn, correlates with the percentage of cementite. The turbostratic carbon forms cages surrounding an iron phase, presumably the cementite. The conductivity data can be fitted well to either a power law or logarithmic behaviour above the percolation theory critical concentration. The normal percolation theory model for conductivity assumes a growing volume of good conductor in an insulating matrix. However, our system has a good conductor in a matrix of moderate conductor, the conductivity of which is not constant but is increasing under heat treatment at the same time as the good conductor volume is increasing. Some possible analyses will be given

  16. Preparation And Characterization Of Microporous Activated Carbon From Oil Palm Shell By Physical Activation Using Purified Nitrogen

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Allwar Allwar

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} Oil palm shell, a byproduct of palm oil industry was successfully used as a raw material for the production of highly porous activated carbons. Preparation of activated carbon was carried out by physical activation under nitrogen at various activation temperatures. The nitrogen isotherms show Type I characteristics of microporous activated carbon. The maximum surface areas obtained at 900oC was 936 m2g-1. The morphology structure of the activated carbon indicated the existence of the porosities with different size pores. Keywords: Oil palm shell; Micropores; Physical activation; Nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherm

  17. [Harvest of the carbon source in wastewater by the adsorption and desorption of activated sludge].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Hong-Bo; Wen, Xiang-Hua; Zhao, Fang; Mei, Yi-Jun

    2011-04-01

    The carbon source in municipal wastewater was adsorbed by activated sludge and then harvested through the hydrolysis of activated sludge. Results indicated that activated sludge had high absorbing ability towards organic carbon and phosphorus under continuous operation mode, and the average COD and TP absorption rate reached as high as 63% and 76%, respectively. Moreover, about 50% of the soluble carbon source was outside of the sludge cell and could be released under mild hydrolysis condition. Whereas the absorbed amount of nitrogen was relatively low, and the removal rate of ammonia was only 13% . Furthermore, the releases of organic carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus from the sludge absorbing pollutants in the wastewater were studied. By comparing different hydrolysis conditions of normal (pH 7.5, 20 degrees C), heating (pH 7.5, 60 degrees C) and the alkaline heating (pH 11, 60 degrees C), the last one presented the optimum hydrolysis efficiency. Under which, the release rate of COD could reach 320 mg/g after 24 hours, whereas nitrogen and phosphorus just obtained low release rates of 18 mg/g and 2 mg/g, respectively. Results indicate that the carbon source in wastewater could be harvested by the adsorption and desorption of activated sludge, and the concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus are low and would not influence the reuse of the harvested carbon source.

  18. A high-performance mesoporous carbon supported nitrogen-doped carbon electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Jingjing; Lu, Shiyao; Chen, Xu; Wang, Jianan; Zhang, Bo; Zhang, Xinyu; Xiao, Chunhui; Ding, Shujiang

    2017-12-01

    Investigating low-cost and highly active electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reactions (ORR) is of crucial importance for energy conversion and storage devices. Herein, we design and prepare mesoporous carbon supported nitrogen-doped carbon by pyrolysis of polyaniline coated on CMK-3. This electrocatalyst exhibits excellent performance towards ORR in alkaline media. The optimized nitrogen-doped mesoporous electrocatalyst show an onset potential (E onset) of 0.95 V (versus reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE)) and half-wave potential (E 1/2) of 0.83 V (versus RHE) in 0.1 M KOH. Furthermore, the as-prepared catalyst presents superior durability and methanol tolerance compared to commercial Pt/C indicating its potential applications in fuel cells and metal-air batteries.

  19. Natural gas storage with activated carbon from a bituminous coal

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Jielun; Rood, M.J.; Rostam-Abadi, M.; Lizzio, A.A.

    1996-01-01

    Granular activated carbons ( -20 + 100 mesh; 0.149-0.84 mm) were produced by physical activation and chemical activation with KOH from an Illinois bituminous coal (IBC-106) for natural gas storage. The products were characterized by BET surface area, micropore volume, bulk density, and methane adsorption capacities. Volumetric methane adsorption capacities (Vm/Vs) of some of the granular carbons produced by physical activation are about 70 cm3/cm3 which is comparable to that of BPL, a commercial activated carbon. Vm/Vs values above 100 cm3/cm3 are obtainable by grinding the granular products to - 325 mesh (activated carbons, granular carbons produced by KOH activation have higher micropore volume and higher methane adsorption capacities (g/g). Their volumetric methane adsorption capacities are lower due to their lower bulk densities. Copyright ?? 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.

  20. Removal of steroid estrogens from wastewater using granular activated carbon: comparison between virgin and reactivated carbon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rowsell, Victoria Francesca; Pang, Dawn Sok Cheng; Tsafou, Foteini; Voulvoulis, Nikolaos

    2009-04-01

    This research was set up in response to new European legislation to identify cost-effective treatment for removal of steroid estrogens from effluent. This study aimed to compare estrogen removal of two types of granular activated carbon: virgin (F400) and reactivated (C401) carbon. Rapid, small-scale column tests were conducted with a total bed volume of 24.9 cm3 over three columns, and analysis was carried out using high-performance liquid chromatography. Results demonstrated that C401 performed more efficiently with greater than or equal to 81% estrogen removal in wastewater compared to F400 which produced greater than or equal to 65% estrogen removal. Estrogen removal can be affected by competitive adsorption from natural organic matter present in wastewater. In addition, the physical properties of each carbon had the potential to influence adsorption differently, thus resulting in the observed varied adsorption capability of the two carbons.

  1. Hierarchically porous carbon with high-speed ion transport channels for high performance supercapacitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Haoyuan; Li, Qingwei; Guo, Jianhui; Song, Aixin; Gong, Chunhong; Zhang, Jiwei; Zhang, Jingwei

    2018-01-01

    Hierarchically porous carbons (HPC) are considered as promising electrode materials for supercapacitors, due to their outstanding charge/discharge cycling stabilities and high power densities. However, HPC possess a relatively low ion diffusion rate inside the materials, which challenges their application for high performance supercapacitor. Thus tunnel-shaped carbon pores with a size of tens of nanometers were constructed by inducing the self-assembly of lithocholic acid with ammonium chloride, thereby providing high-speed channels for internal ion diffusion. The as-formed one-dimensional pores are beneficial to the activation process by KOH, providing a large specific surface area, and then facilitate rapid transport of electrolyte ions from macropores to the microporous surfaces. Therefore, the HPC achieve an outstanding gravimetric capacitance of 284 F g-1 at a current density of 0.1 A g-1 and a remarkable capacity retention of 64.8% when the current density increases by 1000 times to 100 A g-1.

  2. Trivalent chromium removal from wastewater using low cost activated carbon derived from agricultural waste material and activated carbon fabric cloth

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mohan, Dinesh; Singh, Kunwar P.; Singh, Vinod K.

    2006-01-01

    An efficient adsorption process is developed for the decontamination of trivalent chromium from tannery effluents. A low cost activated carbon (ATFAC) was prepared from coconut shell fibers (an agricultural waste), characterized and utilized for Cr(III) removal from water/wastewater. A commercially available activated carbon fabric cloth (ACF) was also studied for comparative evaluation. All the equilibrium and kinetic studies were conducted at different temperatures, particle size, pHs, and adsorbent doses in batch mode. The Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models were applied. The Langmuir model best fit the equilibrium isotherm data. The maximum adsorption capacities of ATFAC and ACF at 25 deg. C are 12.2 and 39.56 mg/g, respectively. Cr(III) adsorption increased with an increase in temperature (10 deg. C: ATFAC-10.97 mg/g, ACF-36.05 mg/g; 40 deg. C: ATFAC-16.10 mg/g, ACF-40.29 mg/g). The kinetic studies were conducted to delineate the effect of temperature, initial adsorbate concentration, particle size of the adsorbent, and solid to liquid ratio. The adsorption of Cr(III) follows the pseudo-second-order rate kinetics. From kinetic studies various rate and thermodynamic parameters such as effective diffusion coefficient, activation energy and entropy of activation were evaluated. The sorption capacity of activated carbon (ATFAC) and activated carbon fabric cloth is comparable to many other adsorbents/carbons/biosorbents utilized for the removal of trivalent chromium from water/wastewater

  3. Quantification of arsenic in activated carbon using particle induced X-ray emission

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yadav, Nirbhay N.; Maheswaran, Saravanamuthu; Shutthanandan, Vaithiyalingam; Thevuthasan, Suntharampillai; Ngo, Huu H.; Vigneswaran, Saravanamuth

    2006-01-01

    To date, the trace elemental analysis of solids with inhomogeneous internal structure has been limited, particularly in the case of adsorbents. High-energy ion beam based particle induced X-ray emission (PIXE) is an ideal analytical tool suitable for simultaneous quantification of trace elements with high accuracy. In this study, PIXE was used to quantify arsenic in the adsorbents, granular activated carbon (GAC) and powder activated carbon (PAC). Pelletized and unmodified GAC and PAC samples were analyzed along with powder samples deposited on thin teflon filters. These sample preparation methods resulted in samples of various thicknesses and densities. PIXE measurements taken from these samples were compared to results from neutron activation analysis (NAA) and atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). There is a good agreement between the values from the NAA and pelletized PIXE measurements and some AAS measurements

  4. Highly conductive porous Na-embedded carbon nanowalls for high-performance capacitive deionization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, Liang; Hu, Yun Hang

    2018-05-01

    Highly conductive porous Na-embedded carbon nanowalls (Na@C), which were recently invented, have exhibited excellent performance for dye-sensitized solar cells and electric double-layer capacitors. In this work, Na@C was demonstrated as an excellent electrode material for capacitive deionization (CDI). In a three-electrode configuration system, the specific capacity of the Na@C electrodes can achieve 306.4 F/g at current density of 0.2 A/g in 1 M NaCl, which is higher than that (235.2 F/g) of activated carbon (AC) electrodes. Furthermore, a high electrosorption capacity of 8.75 mg g-1 in 100 mg/L NaCl was obtained with the Na@C electrodes in a batch-mode capacitive deionization cell. It exceeds the electrosorption capacity (4.08 mg g-1) of AC electrodes. The Na@C electrode also showed a promising cycle stability. The excellent performance of Na@C electrode for capacitive deionization (CDI) can be attributed to its high electrical conductivity and large accessible surface area.

  5. N-Doped carbon spheres with hierarchical micropore-nanosheet networks for high performance supercapacitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Shoupei; Zhang, Jianan; Shang, Pei; Li, Yuanyuan; Chen, Zhimin; Xu, Qun

    2014-10-18

    N-doped carbon spheres with hierarchical micropore-nanosheet networks (HPSCSs) were facilely fabricated by a one-step carbonization and activation process of N containing polymer spheres by KOH. With the synergy effect of the multiple structures, HPSCSs exhibit a very high specific capacitance of 407.9 F g(-1) at 1 mV s(-1) (1.2 times higher than that of porous carbon spheres) and a robust cycling stability for supercapacitors.

  6. Electric Pulse Discharge Activated Carbon Supercapacitors for Transportation Application

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nayak, Subhadarshi; Agrawal, Jyoti

    2012-03-01

    ScienceTomorrow is developing a high-speed, low-cost process for synthesizing high-porosity electrodes for electrochemical double-layer capacitors. Four types of coal (lignite, subbituminous, bituminous, and anthracite) were used as precursor materials for spark discharge activation with multiscale porous structure. The final porosity and pore distribution depended, among other factors, on precursor type. The high gas content in low-grade carbon resulted in mechanical disintegration, whereas high capacitance was attained in higher-grade coal. The properties, including capacitance, mechanical robustness, and internal conductivity, were excellent when the cost is taken into consideration.

  7. Nickel adsorption by sodium polyacrylate-grafted activated carbon

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ewecharoen, A. [Division of Biotechnology, School of Bioresources and Technology, King Mongkut' s University of Technology Thonburi, 83 Moo 8 Thakham, Bangkhuntien, Bangkok 10150 (Thailand); Thiravetyan, P., E-mail: paitip@hotmail.com [Division of Biotechnology, School of Bioresources and Technology, King Mongkut' s University of Technology Thonburi, 83 Moo 8 Thakham, Bangkhuntien, Bangkok 10150 (Thailand); Wendel, E.; Bertagnolli, H. [Institut fuer Physikalische Chemie, Universitaet Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 55, 70569 Stuttgart (Germany)

    2009-11-15

    A novel sodium polyacrylate grafted activated carbon was produced by using gamma radiation to increase the number of functional groups on the surface. After irradiation the capacity for nickel adsorption was studied and found to have increased from 44.1 to 55.7 mg g{sup -1}. X-ray absorption spectroscopy showed that the adsorbed nickel on activated carbon and irradiation-grafted activated carbon was coordinated with 6 oxygen atoms at 2.04-2.06 A. It is proposed that this grafting technique could be applied to other adsorbents to increase the efficiency of metal adsorption.

  8. Highly reversible lead-carbon battery anode with lead grafting on the carbon surface

    KAUST Repository

    Yin, Jian; Lin, Nan; Zhang, Wenli; Lin, Zheqi; Zhang, Ziqing; Wang, Yue; Shi, Jun; Bao, Jinpeng; Lin, Haibo

    2018-01-01

    A novel C/Pb composite has been successfully prepared by electroless plating to reduce the hydrogen evolution and achieve the high reversibility of the anode of lead-carbon battery (LCB). The deposited lead on the surface of C/Pb composite was found to be uniform and adherent to carbon surface. Because lead has been stuck on the surface of C/Pb composite, the embedded structure suppresses the hydrogen evolution of lead-carbon anode and strengthens the connection between carbon additive and sponge lead. Compared with the blank anode, the lead-carbon anode with C/Pb composite displays excellent charge–discharge reversibility, which is attributed to the good connection between carbon additives and lead that has been stuck on the surface of C/Pb composite during the preparation process. The addition of C/Pb composite maintains a solid anode structure with high specific surface area and power volume, and thereby, it plays a significant role in the highly reversible lead-carbon anode.

  9. Highly reversible lead-carbon battery anode with lead grafting on the carbon surface

    KAUST Repository

    Yin, Jian

    2018-03-27

    A novel C/Pb composite has been successfully prepared by electroless plating to reduce the hydrogen evolution and achieve the high reversibility of the anode of lead-carbon battery (LCB). The deposited lead on the surface of C/Pb composite was found to be uniform and adherent to carbon surface. Because lead has been stuck on the surface of C/Pb composite, the embedded structure suppresses the hydrogen evolution of lead-carbon anode and strengthens the connection between carbon additive and sponge lead. Compared with the blank anode, the lead-carbon anode with C/Pb composite displays excellent charge–discharge reversibility, which is attributed to the good connection between carbon additives and lead that has been stuck on the surface of C/Pb composite during the preparation process. The addition of C/Pb composite maintains a solid anode structure with high specific surface area and power volume, and thereby, it plays a significant role in the highly reversible lead-carbon anode.

  10. Pore size distribution and supercritical hydrogen adsorption in activated carbon fibers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Purewal, J. J.; Kabbour, H.; Vajo, J. J.; Ahn, C. C.; Fultz, B.

    2009-05-01

    Pore size distributions (PSD) and supercritical H2 isotherms have been measured for two activated carbon fiber (ACF) samples. The surface area and the PSD both depend on the degree of activation to which the ACF has been exposed. The low-surface-area ACF has a narrow PSD centered at 0.5 nm, while the high-surface-area ACF has a broad distribution of pore widths between 0.5 and 2 nm. The H2 adsorption enthalpy in the zero-coverage limit depends on the relative abundance of the smallest pores relative to the larger pores. Measurements of the H2 isosteric adsorption enthalpy indicate the presence of energy heterogeneity in both ACF samples. Additional measurements on a microporous, coconut-derived activated carbon are presented for reference.

  11. Pore size distribution and supercritical hydrogen adsorption in activated carbon fibers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Purewal, J J; Kabbour, H; Ahn, C C; Fultz, B; Vajo, J J

    2009-01-01

    Pore size distributions (PSD) and supercritical H 2 isotherms have been measured for two activated carbon fiber (ACF) samples. The surface area and the PSD both depend on the degree of activation to which the ACF has been exposed. The low-surface-area ACF has a narrow PSD centered at 0.5 nm, while the high-surface-area ACF has a broad distribution of pore widths between 0.5 and 2 nm. The H 2 adsorption enthalpy in the zero-coverage limit depends on the relative abundance of the smallest pores relative to the larger pores. Measurements of the H 2 isosteric adsorption enthalpy indicate the presence of energy heterogeneity in both ACF samples. Additional measurements on a microporous, coconut-derived activated carbon are presented for reference.

  12. Adsorption of aromatic compounds by carbonaceous adsorbents: a comparative study on granular activated carbon, activated carbon fiber, and carbon nanotubes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Shujuan; Shao, Ting; Kose, H Selcen; Karanfil, Tanju

    2010-08-15

    Adsorption of three aromatic organic compounds (AOCs) by four types of carbonaceous adsorbents [a granular activated carbon (HD4000), an activated carbon fiber (ACF10), two single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT, SWNT-HT), and a multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWNT)] with different structural characteristics but similar surface polarities was examined in aqueous solutions. Isotherm results demonstrated the importance of molecular sieving and micropore effects in the adsorption of AOCs by carbonaceous porous adsorbents. In the absence of the molecular sieving effect, a linear relationship was found between the adsorption capacities of AOCs and the surface areas of adsorbents, independent of the type of adsorbent. On the other hand, the pore volume occupancies of the adsorbents followed the order of ACF10 > HD4000 > SWNT > MWNT, indicating that the availability of adsorption site was related to the pore size distributions of the adsorbents. ACF10 and HD4000 with higher microporous volumes exhibited higher adsorption affinities to low molecular weight AOCs than SWNT and MWNT with higher mesopore and macropore volumes. Due to their larger pore sizes, SWNTs and MWNTs are expected to be more efficient in adsorption of large size molecules. Removal of surface oxygen-containing functional groups from the SWNT enhanced adsorption of AOCs.

  13. Understanding mercury binding on activated carbon

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Padak, B.; Wilcox, J. [Stanford University, Stanford, CA (United States)

    2009-10-15

    Understanding the mechanism by which mercury adsorbs on activated carbon is crucial to the design and fabrication of effective capture technologies. In this study, the possible binding mechanism of mercury (Hg) and its species, i.e., HgCl and HgCl{sub 2} on activated carbon is investigated using ab initio-based energetic calculations. The activated carbon surface is modeled by a single graphene layer in which the edge atoms on the upper side are unsaturated in order to simulate the active sites. in some cases, chlorine atoms are placed at the edge sites to examine the effect of chlorine on the binding of Hg, HgCl and HgCl{sub 2}. It has been concluded that both HgCl and HgCl{sub 2} can be adsorbed dissociatively or non-dissociatively. In the case of dissociative adsorption, it is energetically favorable for atomic Hg to desorb and energetically favorable for it to remain on the surface in the Hg{sup 1+} state, HgCl. The Hg{sup 2+}, oxidized compound, HgCl2 was not found to be stable on the surface. The most probable mercury species on the surface was found to be HgCl.

  14. Activated carbons from Mongolian coals by thermal treatment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A Ariunaa

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Mongolian different rank coals were used as raw material to prepare activatedcarbons by physical activation method. The coal derived carbons were oxidized with nitric acid in order to introduce surface oxygen groups. The ultimate elemental analysis, scanning electron microscopy, surface area, pore size distribution analysis and selective neutralization method were used to characterize the surface properties of activated carbons, oxidizedcarbons and raw coals. The effect of coal grade on the adsorption properties of the carbons were studied. It was concluded that Naryn sukhait bituminous coal could be serve as suitable raw material for production of activated carbons for removal of heavy metal ions from solution.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5564/mjc.v12i0.174 Mongolian Journal of Chemistry Vol.12 2011: 60-64

  15. THE ROLE OF ACTIVATED CARBON IN SOLVING ECOLOGICAL PROBLEMS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V. M. Mukhin

    2008-06-01

    Full Text Available The authors present a brief analysis of the current global situation concerning the utilization of activated carbon in various fields. The article presents data concerning the synthesis and adsorption and structure properties of new activated carbons, used for solving ecological problems. The authors investigated the newly obtained activated carbons in comparison with several AC marks known in the world. It has been shown that currently synthesized AC are competitive with foreign marks.

  16. Adsorption of organic stormwater pollutants onto activated carbon from sewage sludge.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Björklund, Karin; Li, Loretta Y

    2017-07-15

    Adsorption filters have the potential to retain suspended pollutants physically, as well as attracting and chemically attaching dissolved compounds onto the adsorbent. This study investigated the adsorption of eight hydrophobic organic compounds (HOCs) frequently detected in stormwater - including four polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), two phthalates and two alkylphenols - onto activated carbon produced from domestic sewage sludge. Adsorption was studied using batch tests. Kinetic studies indicated that bulk adsorption of HOCs occurred within 10 min. Sludge-based activated carbon (SBAC) was as efficient as tested commercial carbons for adsorbing HOCs; adsorption capacities ranged from 70 to 2800 μg/g (C initial  = 10-300 μg/L; 15 mg SBAC in 150 mL solution; 24 h contact time) for each HOC. In the batch tests, the adsorption capacity was generally negatively correlated to the compounds' hydrophobicity (log K ow ) and positively associated with decreasing molecule size, suggesting that molecular sieving limited adsorption. However, in repeated adsorption tests, where competition between HOCs was more likely to occur, adsorbed pollutant loads exhibited strong positive correlation with log K ow . Sewage sludge as a carbon source for activated carbon has great potential as a sustainable alternative for sludge waste management practices and production of a high-capacity adsorption material. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Calculation of Binary Adsorption Equilibria: Hydrocarbons and Carbon Dioxide on Activated Carbon

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Marcussen, Lis; Krøll, A.

    1999-01-01

    Binary adsorption equilibria are calculated by means of a mathematical model for multicomponent mixtures combined with the SPD (Spreading Pressure Dependent) model for calculation of activity coefficients in the adsorbed phase. The model has been applied successfully for the adsorption of binary ...... mixtures of hydrocarbons and carbon dioxide on activated carbons. The model parameters have been determined, and the model has proven to be suited for prediction of adsorption equilibria in the investigated systems....

  18. On high temperature strength of carbon steels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ichinose, Hiroyuki; Tamura, Manabu; Kanero, Takahiro; Ihara, Yoshihito

    1977-01-01

    In the steels for high temperature use, the oxidation resistance is regarded as important, but carbon steels show enough oxidation resistance to be used continuously at the temperature up to 500 deg. C if the strength is left out of consideration, and up to 450 deg. C even when the strength is taken into account. Moreover, the production is easy, the workability and weldability are good, and the price is cheap in carbon steels as compared with alloy steels. In the boilers for large thermal power stations, 0.15-0.30% C steels are used for reheater tubes, main feed water tubes, steam headers, wall water tubes, economizer tubes, bypass pipings and others, and they account for 70% of all steel materials used for the boilers of 350 MW class and 30% in 1000 MW class. The JIS standard for the carbon steels for high temperature use and the related standards in foreign countries are shown. The high temperature strength of carbon steels changes according to the trace elements, melting and heat treatment as well as the main compositions of C, Si and Mn. Al and N affect the high temperature strength largely. The characteristics of carbon steels after the heating for hours, the factors controlling the microstructure and high temperature strength, and the measures to improve the high temperature strength of carbon steels are explained. (Kako, I.)

  19. Activation of peroxymonosulfate by graphitic carbon nitride loaded on activated carbon for organic pollutants degradation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wei, Mingyu; Gao, Long; Li, Jun; Fang, Jia; Cai, Wenxuan; Li, Xiaoxia; Xu, Aihua

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • Supported g-C_3N_4 on AC catalysts with different loadings were prepared. • The metal free catalysts exhibited high efficiency for dyes degradation with PMS. • The catalyst presented a long-term stability for multiple runs. • The C=O groups played a key role in the oxidation process. - Abstract: Graphitic carbon nitride supported on activated carbon (g-C_3N_4/AC) was prepared through an in situ thermal approach and used as a metal free catalyst for pollutants degradation in the presence of peroxymonosulfate (PMS) without light irradiation. It was found that g-C_3N_4 was highly dispersed on the surface of AC with the increase of surface area and the exposition of more edges and defects. The much easier oxidation of C species in g-C_3N_4 to C=O was also observed from XPS spectra. Acid Orange 7 (AO7) and other organic pollutants could be completely degraded by the g-C_3N_4/AC catalyst within 20 min with PMS, while g-C_3N_4+PMS and AC+PMS showed no significant activity for the reaction. The performance of the catalyst was significantly influenced by the amount of g-C_3N_4 loaded on AC; but was nearly not affected by the initial solution pH and reaction temperature. In addition, the catalysts presented good stability. A nonradical mechanism accompanied by radical generation (HO· and SO_4·"−) in AO7 oxidation was proposed in the system. The C=O groups play a key role in the process; while the exposure of more N-(C)_3 group can further increase its electron density and basicity. This study can contribute to the development of green materials for sustainable remediation of aqueous organic pollutants.

  20. Electrochemical behavior of pitch-based activated carbon fibers for electrochemical capacitors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Hye-Min; Kwac, Lee-Ku; An, Kay-Hyeok; Park, Soo-Jin; Kim, Byung-Joo

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • Electrode materials for electrochemical capacitors were developed using pitch-based activated carbon fibers with steam activation. • Activated carbon fibers showed enhanced specific surface area from 1520 to 3230 m 2 /g. • The increase in the specific capacitance of the samples was determined by charged pore structure during charging and discharging. - Abstract: In the present study, electrode materials for electrochemical capacitors were developed using pitch-based activated carbon fibers with steam activation. The surface and structural characteristics of activated carbon fibers were observed using scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction, respectively. Pore characteristics were investigated using N 2 /77 K adsorption isotherms. The activated carbon fibers were applied as electrodes for electrical double-layer capacitors and analyzed in relation to the activation time. The specific surface area and total pore volume of the activated carbon fibers were determined to be 1520–3230 m 2 /g and 0.61–1.87 cm 3 /g, respectively. In addition, when the electrochemical characteristics were analyzed, the specific capacitance was confirmed to have increased from 1.1 F/g to 22.5 F/g. From these results, it is clear that the pore characteristics of pitch-based activated carbon fibers changed considerably in relation to steam activation and charge/discharge cycle; therefore, it was possible to improve the electrochemical characteristics of the activated carbon fibers.

  1. Hierarchically structured nanoporous carbon tubes for high pressure carbon dioxide adsorption

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Julia Patzsch

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Mesoscopic, nanoporous carbon tubes were synthesized by a combination of the Stoeber process and the use of electrospun macrosized polystyrene fibres as structure directing templates. The obtained carbon tubes have a macroporous nature characterized by a thick wall structure and a high specific surface area of approximately 500 m²/g resulting from their micro- and mesopores. The micropore regime of the carbon tubes is composed of turbostratic graphitic areas observed in the microstructure. The employed templating process was also used for the synthesis of silicon carbide tubes. The characterization of all porous materials was performed by nitrogen adsorption at 77 K, Raman spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA, scanning electron microscopy (SEM as well as transmission electron microscopy (TEM. The adsorption of carbon dioxide on the carbon tubes at 25 °C at pressures of up to 30 bar was studied using a volumetric method. At 26 bar, an adsorption capacity of 4.9 mmol/g was observed. This is comparable to the adsorption capacity of molecular sieves and vertically aligned carbon nanotubes. The high pressure adsorption process of CO2 was found to irreversibly change the microporous structure of the carbon tubes.

  2. REMOVAL OF IMIDACLOPRID USING ACTIVATED CARBON ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    KEY WORDS: Chemical activation, Adsorption, Activated carbon, Pesticide ..... density solvent based dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction for quantitative extraction of ... El-Hamouz, A.; Hilal, H.S.; Nassar, N.; Mardawi, Z. Solid olive waste in ...

  3. A high-porosity carbon molybdenum sulphide composite with enhanced electrochemical hydrogen evolution and stability

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Laursen, Anders B.; Vesborg, Peter C. K.; Chorkendorff, Ib

    2013-01-01

    This work describes a highly active and stable acid activated carbon fibre and amorphous MoSx composite hydrogen evolution catalyst. The increased electrochemical-surface area is demonstrated to cause increased catalyst electrodeposition and activity. These composite electrodes also show...

  4. Catalytic and peroxidase-like activity of carbon based-AuPd bimetallic nanocomposite produced using carbon dots as the reductant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang, Liuqing; Liu, Xiaoying; Lu, Qiujun; Huang, Na; Liu, Meiling; Zhang, Youyu; Yao, Shouzhuo

    2016-01-01

    In this report, carbon-based AuPd bimetallic nanocomposite (AuPd/C NC) was synthesized using carbon dots (C-dots) as the reducing agent and stabilizer by a simple green sequential reduction strategy, without adding other agents. The as synthesized AuPd/C NC showed good catalytic activity and peroxidase-like property. The structure and morphology of these nanoparticles were clearly characterized by UV–Vis spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The AuPd/C NC catalyst exhibits noticeably higher catalytic activity than Pd and Au nanoparticles in catalysis reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP). Moreover, based on the high peroxidase-like property of AuPd/C NC, a new colorimetric detection method for hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) has been designed using 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethyl-benzidine (TMB) as the substrate, which provides a simple and sensitive means to detect H 2 O 2 in wide linear range of 5 μM–500 μM and 500 μM–4 mM with low detection limit of 1.6 μM (S/N = 3). Therefore, the facile synthesis strategy for bimetallic nanoparticles by the mild reductant of carbon dot will provide some new thoughts for preparing of carbon-based metal nanomaterials and expand their application in catalysis and analytical chemistry areas. - Highlights: • Carbon-based AuPd bimetallic nanocomposite was synthesized using carbon dots. • The green sequential reduction strategy synthesis method is simple, green, convenient and effective. • The as synthesized AuPd/C NC showed good catalytic activity and peroxidase-like activity. • The AuPd/C NC exhibits noticeably higher catalytic activity in reduction of 4-nitrophenol. • A new colorimetric detection method for hydrogen peroxide based on AuPd/C NC was proposed.

  5. Catalytic and peroxidase-like activity of carbon based-AuPd bimetallic nanocomposite produced using carbon dots as the reductant

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yang, Liuqing [Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology & Traditional Chinese Medicine Research (Ministry of Education, China), College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081 (China); Liu, Xiaoying [College of Science, Science and Technological Innovation Platform, Hunan Agricultural University, Hunan, Changsha 410128 (China); Lu, Qiujun; Huang, Na [Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology & Traditional Chinese Medicine Research (Ministry of Education, China), College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081 (China); Liu, Meiling, E-mail: liumeilingww@126.com [Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology & Traditional Chinese Medicine Research (Ministry of Education, China), College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081 (China); Zhang, Youyu; Yao, Shouzhuo [Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology & Traditional Chinese Medicine Research (Ministry of Education, China), College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081 (China)

    2016-08-03

    In this report, carbon-based AuPd bimetallic nanocomposite (AuPd/C NC) was synthesized using carbon dots (C-dots) as the reducing agent and stabilizer by a simple green sequential reduction strategy, without adding other agents. The as synthesized AuPd/C NC showed good catalytic activity and peroxidase-like property. The structure and morphology of these nanoparticles were clearly characterized by UV–Vis spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The AuPd/C NC catalyst exhibits noticeably higher catalytic activity than Pd and Au nanoparticles in catalysis reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP). Moreover, based on the high peroxidase-like property of AuPd/C NC, a new colorimetric detection method for hydrogen peroxide (H{sub 2}O{sub 2}) has been designed using 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethyl-benzidine (TMB) as the substrate, which provides a simple and sensitive means to detect H{sub 2}O{sub 2} in wide linear range of 5 μM–500 μM and 500 μM–4 mM with low detection limit of 1.6 μM (S/N = 3). Therefore, the facile synthesis strategy for bimetallic nanoparticles by the mild reductant of carbon dot will provide some new thoughts for preparing of carbon-based metal nanomaterials and expand their application in catalysis and analytical chemistry areas. - Highlights: • Carbon-based AuPd bimetallic nanocomposite was synthesized using carbon dots. • The green sequential reduction strategy synthesis method is simple, green, convenient and effective. • The as synthesized AuPd/C NC showed good catalytic activity and peroxidase-like activity. • The AuPd/C NC exhibits noticeably higher catalytic activity in reduction of 4-nitrophenol. • A new colorimetric detection method for hydrogen peroxide based on AuPd/C NC was proposed.

  6. Highly n-Type Titanium Oxide as an Electronically Active Support for Platinum in the Catalytic Oxidation of Carbon Monoxide

    KAUST Repository

    Baker, L. Robert

    2011-08-18

    The role of the oxide-metal interface in determining the activity and selectivity of chemical reactions catalyzed by metal particles on an oxide support is an important topic in science and industry. A proposed mechanism for this strong metal-support interaction is electronic activation of surface adsorbates by charge carriers. Motivated by the goal of using electronic activation to drive nonthermal chemistry, we investigated the ability of the oxide support to mediate charge transfer. We report an approximately 2-fold increase in the turnover rate of catalytic carbon monoxide oxidation on platinum nanoparticles supported on stoichiometric titanium dioxide (TiO2) when the TiO2 is made highly n-type by fluorine (F) doping. However, for nonstoichiometric titanium oxide (TiOX<2) the effect of F on the turnover rate is negligible. Studies of the titanium oxide electronic structure show that the energy of free electrons in the oxide determines the rate of reaction. These results suggest that highly n-type TiO2 electronically activates adsorbed oxygen (O) by electron spillover to form an active O- intermediate. © 2011 American Chemical Society.

  7. FENTON-DRIVEN REGENERATION OF GRANULAR ACTIVATED CARBON: A TECHNOLOGY OVERVIEW

    Science.gov (United States)

    A Fenton-driven mechanism for regenerating spent granular activated carbon (GAC) involves the combined, synergistic use of two reliable and well established treatment technologies - adsorption onto activated carbon and Fenton oxidation. During carbon adsorption treatment, enviro...

  8. Adsorption properties of cationic rhodamine B dye onto metals chloride-activated castor bean residue carbons.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhi, Lee Lin; Zaini, Muhammad Abbas Ahmad

    2017-02-01

    This work was aimed to evaluate the feasibility of castor bean residue based activated carbons prepared through metals chloride activation. The activated carbons were characterized for textural properties and surface chemistry, and the adsorption data of rhodamine B were established to investigate the removal performance. Zinc chloride-activated carbon with specific surface area of 395 m 2 /g displayed a higher adsorption capacity of 175 mg/g. Magnesium chloride and iron(III) chloride are less toxic and promising agents for composite chemical activation. The adsorption data obeyed Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetics model. The rate-limiting step in the adsorption of rhodamine B is film diffusion. The positive values of enthalpy and entropy indicate that the adsorption is endothermic and spontaneous at high temperature.

  9. High-yield Synthesis of Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube by Mechanothermal Method

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Manafi SA

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract This study reports on the mechanothermal synthesis of multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNTs from elemental graphite powder. Initially, high ultra-active graphite powder can be obtained by mechanical milling under argon atmosphere. Finally, the mechanical activation product is heat-treated at 1350°C for 2–4 h under argon gas flow. After heat-treatment, active graphite powders were successfully changed into MWCNTs with high purity. The XRD analyses showed that in the duration 150 h of milling, all the raw materials were changed to the desired materials. From the broadening of the diffraction lines in the XRD patterns, it was concluded that the graphite crystallites were nanosized, and raising the milling duration resulted in the fineness of the particles and the increase of the strain. The structure and morphology of MWCNTs were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM. The yield of MWCNTs was estimated through SEM and TEM observations of the as-prepared samples was to be about 90%. Indeed, mechanothermal method is of interest for fundamental understanding and improvement of commercial synthesis of carbon nanotubes (CNTs. As a matter of fact, the method of mechanothermal guarantees the production of MWCNTs suitable for different applications.

  10. Uncovering the Driving Factors of Carbon Emissions in an Investment Allocation Model of China’s High-Carbon and Low-Carbon Energy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shumin Jiang

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available In the view of long-term comprehensive development, the concept of low-carbon economy has long been a concern. In this paper, we build a pure energy-economic system and explore the exact influencing factors in the investment allocation of high-carbon and low-carbon energy with the purpose of mitigating carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The dynamic analysis shows that the model that we built is applicable for the current market situation and the way we adjust the investments of high-carbon and low-carbon energy are conductive to carbon abatement in the atmosphere. On the basis of the stability analysis and numerical simulation, some strategies are given to decrease the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The results show that the social consumption and public consumption behavior are the most important factors responsible for the variation in the atmospheric carbon dioxide. The cleanliness of high carbon presents an obvious mitigating effect on carbon in the atmosphere and the effect of marginal profit of high-carbon energy is the weakest. In addition, enhancing marginal profit, return on investment and investment share of low-carbon energy are beneficial to reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, while a return on investment of high-carbon energy increasing is the detriment of the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Finally, we provide carbon mitigation effort by considering both economic development and carbon abatement for policymakers to achieve a desirable emission-reduction effect.

  11. Highly Flexible Freestanding Porous Carbon Nanofibers for Electrodes Materials of High-Performance All-Carbon Supercapacitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Ying; Zhou, Jinyuan; Chen, Lulu; Zhang, Peng; Fu, Wenbin; Zhao, Hao; Ma, Yufang; Pan, Xiaojun; Zhang, Zhenxing; Han, Weihua; Xie, Erqing

    2015-10-28

    Highly flexible porous carbon nanofibers (P-CNFs) were fabricated by electrospining technique combining with metal ion-assistant acid corrosion process. The resultant fibers display high conductivity and outstanding mechanical flexibility, whereas little change in their resistance can be observed under repeatedly bending, even to 180°. Further results indicate that the improved flexibility of P-CNFs can be due to the high graphitization degree caused by Co ions. In view of electrode materials for high-performance supercapacitors, this type of porous nanostructure and high graphitization degree could synergistically facilitate the electrolyte ion diffusion and electron transportation. In the three electrodes testing system, the resultant P-CNFs electrodes can exhibit a specific capacitance of 104.5 F g(-1) (0.2 A g(-1)), high rate capability (remain 56.5% at 10 A g(-1)), and capacitance retention of ∼94% after 2000 cycles. Furthermore, the assembled symmetric supercapacitors showed a high flexibility and can deliver an energy density of 3.22 Wh kg(-1) at power density of 600 W kg(-1). This work might open a way to improve the mechanical properties of carbon fibers and suggests that this type of freestanding P-CNFs be used as effective electrode materials for flexible all-carbon supercapacitors.

  12. Adsorption of cesium on different types of activated carbon

    OpenAIRE

    VANDERHEYDEN S.; VAN AMMEL Raf; SOBIECH-MATURA KATARZYNA; VAN REPPELEN K.; SCHREURS S.; SCHROEYERS W.; YPERMAN J.; CARLEER R.

    2016-01-01

    The optimal conditions to remove radiocesium from water by adsorption on activated carbon (AC) were investigated. Two commercial ACs were compared to ACs prepared by steam activation of brewers' spent grain. The influence of pH and loading AC with Prussian blue were studied. Cs-134, measured by gamma-ray spectroscopy, served as a tracer for the Cs concentration. Column experiments showed that a neutral to acidic pH enhanced adsorption compared to high pH. Norit GAC 1240 had the highest adsorp...

  13. Preparation of mesoporous carbon from fructose using zinc-based activators

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tutik Setianingsih

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Mesoporous carbons were synthesized from fructose using activators of zinc silicate (ZS, zinc borate (ZB, and zinc borosilicate (ZBS. The synthesis involves 3 steps, including caramelization of sugar, carbonization of caramel, and washing of carbon to separate the activator from the carbon. The solid products were characterized by N2 gas adsorption-desorption, X-ray diffraction, FTIR spectrophotometry, and Transmission Electron Microscopy. The pore characterizations of the carbons indicate that in ZBS system, ZB may have the role as mesopore size controller, whereas silica component may improve porosity created by ZB without changing the size. This role of ZB may be connected to it’s performance as catalyst of caramelization and it’s crystalinity, as supported by measurement of caramel intermediete and characterization of the activators with X-ray diffraction. The infrared spectra confirms that the carbons’s surfaces have C=O, C-O, and O-H functional groups. The XRD patterns of the carbons show that all activators create the turbotratic carbons.

  14. Removal of dye by immobilised photo catalyst loaded activated carbon

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zulkarnain Zainal; Chan, Sook Keng; Abdul Halim Abdullah

    2008-01-01

    The ability of activated carbon to adsorb and titanium dioxide to photo degrade organic impurities from water bodies is well accepted. Combination of the two is expected to enhance the removal efficiency due to the synergistic effect. This has enabled activated carbon to adsorb more and at the same time the lifespan of activated carbon is prolonged as the workload of removing organic pollutants is shared between activated carbon and titanium dioxide. Immobilisation is selected to avoid unnecessary filtering of adsorbent and photo catalyst. In this study, mixture of activated carbon and titanium dioxide was immobilised on glass slides. Photodegradation and adsorption studies of Methylene Blue solution were conducted in the absence and presence of UV light. The removal efficiency of immobilised TiO 2 / AC was found to be two times better than the removal by immobilised AC or immobilised TiO 2 alone. In 4 hours and with the concentration of 10 ppm, TiO 2 loaded activated carbon prepared from 1.5 g/ 15.0 mL suspension produced 99.50 % dye removal. (author)

  15. Estimates of increased black carbon emissions from electrostatic precipitators during powdered activated carbon injection for mercury emissions control.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clack, Herek L

    2012-07-03

    The behavior of mercury sorbents within electrostatic precipitators (ESPs) is not well-understood, despite a decade or more of full-scale testing. Recent laboratory results suggest that powdered activated carbon exhibits somewhat different collection behavior than fly ash in an ESP and particulate filters located at the outlet of ESPs have shown evidence of powdered activated carbon penetration during full-scale tests of sorbent injection for mercury emissions control. The present analysis considers a range of assumed differential ESP collection efficiencies for powdered activated carbon as compared to fly ash. Estimated emission rates of submicrometer powdered activated carbon are compared to estimated emission rates of particulate carbon on submicrometer fly ash, each corresponding to its respective collection efficiency. To the extent that any emitted powdered activated carbon exhibits size and optical characteristics similar to black carbon, such emissions could effectively constitute an increase in black carbon emissions from coal-based stationary power generation. The results reveal that even for the low injection rates associated with chemically impregnated carbons, submicrometer particulate carbon emissions can easily double if the submicrometer fraction of the native fly ash has a low carbon content. Increasing sorbent injection rates, larger collection efficiency differentials as compared to fly ash, and decreasing sorbent particle size all lead to increases in the estimated submicrometer particulate carbon emissions.

  16. Removal of lead from aqueous solution by activated carbon prepared from Enteromorpha prolifera by zinc chloride activation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Li Yanhui, E-mail: liyanhui@tsinghua.org.cn [Laboratory of Fiber Materials and Modern Textile, Growing Base for State Key Laboratory, Qingdao University, 308 Ningxia Road, Qingdao 266071 (China); College of Electromechanical Engineering, Qingdao University, 308 Ningxia Road, Qingdao 266071 (China); Du Qiuju [Laboratory of Fiber Materials and Modern Textile, Growing Base for State Key Laboratory, Qingdao University, 308 Ningxia Road, Qingdao 266071 (China); Wang Xiaodong [College of Electromechanical Engineering, Qingdao University, 308 Ningxia Road, Qingdao 266071 (China); Zhang Pan [Laboratory of Fiber Materials and Modern Textile, Growing Base for State Key Laboratory, Qingdao University, 308 Ningxia Road, Qingdao 266071 (China); Wang Dechang [College of Electromechanical Engineering, Qingdao University, 308 Ningxia Road, Qingdao 266071 (China); Wang Zonghua; Xia Yanzhi [Laboratory of Fiber Materials and Modern Textile, Growing Base for State Key Laboratory, Qingdao University, 308 Ningxia Road, Qingdao 266071 (China)

    2010-11-15

    Activated carbon was prepared from Enteromorpha prolifera (EP) by zinc chloride activation. The physico-chemical properties of EP-activated carbon (EPAC) were characterized by thermal stability, zeta potential and Boehm titration methods. The examination showed that EPAC has a porous structure with a high surface area of 1688 m{sup 2}/g. Batch adsorption experiments were carried out to study the effect of various parameters such as initial pH, adsorbent dosage, contact time and temperature on Pb(II) ions adsorption properties by EPAC. The kinetic studies showed that the adsorption data followed a pseudo second-order kinetic model. The isotherm analysis indicated that the adsorption data can be represented by Freundlich isotherm model. Thermodynamic studies indicated that the adsorption reaction was a spontaneous and endothermic process.

  17. Removal of lead from aqueous solution by activated carbon prepared from Enteromorpha prolifera by zinc chloride activation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Yanhui; Du Qiuju; Wang Xiaodong; Zhang Pan; Wang Dechang; Wang Zonghua; Xia Yanzhi

    2010-01-01

    Activated carbon was prepared from Enteromorpha prolifera (EP) by zinc chloride activation. The physico-chemical properties of EP-activated carbon (EPAC) were characterized by thermal stability, zeta potential and Boehm titration methods. The examination showed that EPAC has a porous structure with a high surface area of 1688 m 2 /g. Batch adsorption experiments were carried out to study the effect of various parameters such as initial pH, adsorbent dosage, contact time and temperature on Pb(II) ions adsorption properties by EPAC. The kinetic studies showed that the adsorption data followed a pseudo second-order kinetic model. The isotherm analysis indicated that the adsorption data can be represented by Freundlich isotherm model. Thermodynamic studies indicated that the adsorption reaction was a spontaneous and endothermic process.

  18. Preparation of nitrogen-doped graphene/activated carbon composite papers to enhance energy storage in supercapacitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Yong-feng; Liu, Yan-zhen; Liang, Yu; Guo, Xiao-hui; Chen, Cheng-meng

    2017-09-01

    This report presents a facile and effective method to synthesize freestanding nitrogen-doped reduced graphene oxide (rGO)/activated carbon (AC) composite papers for supercapacitors by a method combining vacuum filtration with post-annealing in NH3 atmosphere. The effect of activated carbon contents on the microstructure and capacitive behavior of the resulting composite papers before and after the annealing was investigated by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Results show that the composite paper with a 30% activated carbon loading has a high nitrogen content of 14.6 at% and superior capacitive performance (308 F/g, 1 A/g) to the other composite papers with various activated carbon loadings. Nitrogen was doped and GO reduced during the annealing. The rGO nanosheets acted as a framework, and the AC particles served as spacers to avoid agglomeration of graphene sheets. The high capacitance of the composite paper is ascribed to the electric double-layer behavior and the reversible redox reactions of the nitrogen and oxygen groups. The entire process is simple, environmental friendly and easily scalable for mass production.

  19. Comparison tests, in a pilot plant, of the performance of a coal-derived granular activated carbon: a comparison with coconut husk derived activated carbon

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hirata, S.; Kasahara, A.; Tsuruzono, Y.; Gotoh, M.

    1986-01-01

    A 160 m/sup 3//d pilot plant has been used in a series of comparison tests of the performance of coal-derived and coconut husk derived activated carbons. Activated carbons are used to remove trihalomethane precursors and malodorous substances from city water. A higher mean removal of coloration and COD/sub M//sub n/ was achieved with the coal-derived carbon (by factors of 1.5 and 1.8, respectively). The two activated carbons gave similar performances as regards turbidity, alkalinity, total iron and total manganese. 4 figures, 5 tables.

  20. Synthesis of N-rich microporous carbon materials from chitosan by alkali activation using Na_2CO_3

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ilnicka, Anna; Lukaszewicz, Jerzy P.

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • The novel manufacturing procedure of nitrogen-rich carbon materials. • The biopolymer chitosan can be activated by sodium carbonate. • The effect of the addition of activator and the temperature of carbonization was investigated. • The N-rich carbon materials exhibit high specific surface area and microporous structure. - Abstract: The paper presents the first systematic study on the synthesis of nitrogen-rich nanoporous activated carbons by chitosan carbonization in the presence of a hard template (activator), i.e. Na_2CO_3. Carbonization process was carried out in the range of 600–900 °C under a flow of nitrogen. The effect of the addition of different volumes of activator and the temperature of carbonization on the development of specific surface area and pore structure (pore volume and median pore diameter) of the activated carbons was investigated. Additionally, the nitrogen content and nitrogen-containing surface species were determined by means of XPS and combustion elemental analysis. The nitrogen content was placed in the range of 2.4–13.1 wt.%. On the grounds of the low-temperature adsorption of nitrogen, it was found that obtained adsorption isotherms were of type-I, based on the IUPAC classification, which is typical for microporous materials.

  1. Textural, surface, thermal and sorption properties of the functionalized activated carbons and carbon nanotubes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nowicki Piotr

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Two series of functionalised carbonaceous adsorbents were prepared by means of oxidation and nitrogenation of commercially available activated carbon and multi-walled carbon nanotubes. The effect of nitrogen and oxygen incorporation on the textural, surface, thermal and sorption properties of the adsorbents prepared was tested. The materials were characterized by elemental analysis, low-temperature nitrogen sorption, thermogravimetric study and determination of the surface oxygen groups content. Sorptive properties of the materials obtained were characterized by the adsorption of methylene and alkali blue 6B as well as copper(II ions. The final products were nitrogen- and oxygen-enriched mesoporous adsorbents of medium-developed surface area, showing highly diverse N and O-heteroatom contents and acidic-basic character of the surface. The results obtained in our study have proved that through a suitable choice of the modification procedure of commercial adsorbents it is possible to produce materials with high sorption capacity towards organic dyes as well as copper(II ions.

  2. Production of activated carbon from peat. A techno-economic feasibility study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sipilae, K; Asplund, D; Ekman, E

    1984-05-01

    The production of activated carbon from peat was studied both with laboratory and pilot plant experiments in a fluidized-bed furnace. Peat coke was mainly used as raw material, and it was gasified partially with steam to granular activated carbon. The activated carbon grades produced were evaluated on the basis of physical characteristics, for example, volume weight, hardness, specific surface, and pore structure. The proximated analysis of activated carbon crush produced from peat coke: volume weight 220-260 g/l, specific surface 700-1100 msup/g, ash content 13-15%. The physical properties of the produced activated carbon grades were equal to those of commercial carbon brands. On the basis of these trial runs, an activated carbon plant for capacities of 400 t/a and 1500 t/a was preliminary designed adn the use of the fluidized-bed furnace for regenerating activated carbon was evaluated. The initial investment in the production plant was estimated to amount to FIM 3.5 mill. and FIM 5.9 mill. The refund periods of the basic alternatives would be 26 and 2 years, and the minimum capacity of profitable production 900 t/a.

  3. Application of activated carbon fiber to a filter used for airborne radioiodine sampling

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kato, Shohei; Murata, Mikio; Yoshikazu, Yoshida

    1988-01-01

    An airborne radioiodine sampling filter is required to have low pressure drop, mechanical strength enough to a practical use and high collection efficiency under high relative humidity(RH). To develop a filter to meet the requirements, the influences of impregnation amount of triethylenediamin(TEDA) on the collection efficiencies for methyl iodide and the reaction rates were investigated for several kinds of activated carbon fiber varied in specific surface area, pore diameter, etc. Silver silica gel(Sut Chemi, AC6120), silver zeolite(CTI Nuc., AgX Type III), silver alumina(Hitachi Co.) and granular activated charcoal were also examined for comparison. A new type filter made of activated carbon fiber (ACF filter) was developed based on the above experimental results. The ACF filter was examined for the pressure drop by the filter and collection efficiency for methyl iodide being compared with other types of filters such as an activated charcoal cartridge (ACC) and an activated charcoal filter paper (ACP)

  4. Highly efficient degradation of thidiazuron with Ag/AgCl- activated carbon composites under LED light irradiation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yang, Yisi [College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128 (China); Hubei Key Laboratory for Processing and Application of Catalytic Materials, Huanggang Normal University, Huanggang 438000 (China); College of Chemical Engineering, Huanggang Normal University, Huanggang 438000 (China); Zhang, Yan [Hubei Key Laboratory for Processing and Application of Catalytic Materials, Huanggang Normal University, Huanggang 438000 (China); College of Chemical Engineering, Huanggang Normal University, Huanggang 438000 (China); Dong, Mingguang; Yan, Ting; Zhang, Maosheng [College of Chemical Engineering, Huanggang Normal University, Huanggang 438000 (China); Zeng, Qingru, E-mail: 40083763@qq.com [College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128 (China)

    2017-08-05

    Highlights: • Photocatalytic degradation of thidiazuron was performed in a neutral water matrix. • This was carried out in the presence of Ag/AgCl-activated carbon composites and LED light. • The pH effect and the dominant active species were explored. • Degradation products and pathways in water were studied for the first time. - Abstract: Thidiazuron (TDZ; 1-phenyl-3-(1,2,3-thiadiazol-5-yl)urea) is one of the most widely used defoliant and easy to dissolve in surface water. Risk associated with the pesticide is not clearly defined, so it is important to remove/degrade TDZ with an efficient and environment friendly technology. Here, we investigated the use of Ag/AgCl-activated carbon (Ag/AgCl–AC) composites in photocatalytic degradation of TDZ under LED light. By the synergic effect of Ag/AgCl and AC, the optimum Ag/carbon weight ratio of 2:1 exhibited superior visible-light photocatalytic activity, the highest removal efficiency was close to 91% in pH 7 matrix. Different types of Ag/AgCl–AC composites were tested, all showed much faster photodegradation kinetics than bare Ag/AgCl in 210 min. The degradation products as identified by HPLC–MS revealed that the hydroxylation by hydroxyl radicals and that of oxidation by superoxide radicals as well as holes were the two main pathways for TDZ degradation. Results revealed that the adsorption concentrated TDZ molecules and the photocatalytically generated radicals rapidly degradated TDZ, the two contributions functioned together for removal of the pollutant from water.

  5. Highly efficient degradation of thidiazuron with Ag/AgCl- activated carbon composites under LED light irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang, Yisi; Zhang, Yan; Dong, Mingguang; Yan, Ting; Zhang, Maosheng; Zeng, Qingru

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • Photocatalytic degradation of thidiazuron was performed in a neutral water matrix. • This was carried out in the presence of Ag/AgCl-activated carbon composites and LED light. • The pH effect and the dominant active species were explored. • Degradation products and pathways in water were studied for the first time. - Abstract: Thidiazuron (TDZ; 1-phenyl-3-(1,2,3-thiadiazol-5-yl)urea) is one of the most widely used defoliant and easy to dissolve in surface water. Risk associated with the pesticide is not clearly defined, so it is important to remove/degrade TDZ with an efficient and environment friendly technology. Here, we investigated the use of Ag/AgCl-activated carbon (Ag/AgCl–AC) composites in photocatalytic degradation of TDZ under LED light. By the synergic effect of Ag/AgCl and AC, the optimum Ag/carbon weight ratio of 2:1 exhibited superior visible-light photocatalytic activity, the highest removal efficiency was close to 91% in pH 7 matrix. Different types of Ag/AgCl–AC composites were tested, all showed much faster photodegradation kinetics than bare Ag/AgCl in 210 min. The degradation products as identified by HPLC–MS revealed that the hydroxylation by hydroxyl radicals and that of oxidation by superoxide radicals as well as holes were the two main pathways for TDZ degradation. Results revealed that the adsorption concentrated TDZ molecules and the photocatalytically generated radicals rapidly degradated TDZ, the two contributions functioned together for removal of the pollutant from water.

  6. Optimization of activated carbon from sewage sludge using response surface methodology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Muhammad Salleh Abustan; Hamidi Abdul Aziz; Mohd Azmier Ahmad

    2010-01-01

    Wastewater sludge cake was used to prepare activated carbon using physical activation method. The effects of three preparation variables; the activation temperature, activation time and carbon dioxide gas flow rate on chemical oxygen demand (COD) and ammonia removal from leachate solutions were investigated. Based on the central composite design (CCD), two quadratic models were developed to correlate the preparation variables to the COD and ammonia removal. From the analysis of variance (ANOVA), the significant factors on each experimental design response were identified. The optimum activated carbon prepared from wastewater sludge cake was obtained by using activation temperature of 510 degree Celsius, activation time of 30 min and carbon dioxide flow rate of 500 ml/ min. The optimum activated carbon showed COD and ammonia removal of 26 and 13 %, respectively. (author)

  7. Production and characterization of activated carbon from indigenous coal (lakhra coal)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sattar, H.; Hussain, S.N.; Asghar, A.; Butt, A.

    2006-01-01

    In the present study, indigenous coal has been exploited for the preparation of activated carbon by physical. activation and characterization of if was done by using available techniques. Physical activation involved two steps; Carbonization and CO; activation. For different temperatures, carbonization was carried out for 4 hours in an oven and it was observed that percent yield and iodine number was maximum at 600 degree C. The carbonized material of 600 C was activated at different intervals of time and different temperatures for constant flow of CO/sub 2/; (activating gas). The optimum temperature and time for CO/sub 2/; activation was observed to be 750 C and 3 hours respectively, which gave lower percent yield of active carbon but of higher iodine number and methylene blue values. (author)

  8. Thermal characteristics of spent activated carbon generated from air cleaning units in Korean nuclear power plants

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cho, Hang Rae; So, Ji Yang [KHNP Central Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2017-06-15

    To identify the feasibility of disposing of spent activated carbon as a clearance level waste, we performed characterization of radioactive pollution for spent activated carbon through radioisotope analysis; results showed that the C-14 concentrations of about half of the spent activated carbon samples taken from Korean NPPs exceeded the clearance level limit. In this situation, we selected thermal treatment technology to remove C-14 and analyzed the moisture content and thermal characteristics. The results of the moisture content analysis showed that the moisture content of the spent activated carbon is in the range of 1.2–23.9 wt% depending on the operation and storage conditions. The results of TGA indicated that most of the spent activated carbon lost weight in 3 temperature ranges. Through py-GC/MS analysis based on the result of TGA, we found that activated carbon loses weight rapidly with moisture desorption reaching to 100°C and desorbs various organic and inorganic carbon compounds reaching to 200°C. The result of pyrolysis analysis showed that the experiment of C-14 desorption using thermal treatment technology requires at least 3 steps of heat treatment, including a heat treatment at high temperature over 850°C, in order to reduce the C-14 concentration below the clearance level.

  9. High Electrocatalytic Activity of Vertically Aligned Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes towards Sulfide Redox Shuttles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hao, Feng; Dong, Pei; Zhang, Jing; Zhang, Yongchang; Loya, Phillip E; Hauge, Robert H; Li, Jianbao; Lou, Jun; Lin, Hong

    2012-01-01

    Vertically aligned single-walled carbon nanotubes (VASWCNTs) have been successfully transferred onto transparent conducting oxide glass and implemented as efficient low-cost, platinum-free counter electrode in sulfide -mediated dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs), featuring notably improved electrocatalytic activity toward thiolate/disulfide redox shuttle over conventional Pt counter electrodes. Impressively, device with VASWCNTs counter electrode demonstrates a high fill factor of 0.68 and power conversion efficiency up to 5.25%, which is significantly higher than 0.56 and 3.49% for that with a conventional Pt electrode. Moreover, VASWCNTs counter electrode produces a charge transfer resistance of only 21.22 Ω towards aqueous polysulfide electrolyte commonly applied in quantum dots-sensitized solar cells (QDSCs), which is several orders of magnitude lower than that of a typical Pt electrode. Therefore, VASWCNTs counter electrodes are believed to be a versatile candidate for further improvement of the power conversion efficiency of other iodine-free redox couple based DSCs and polysulfide electrolyte based QDSCs.

  10. ACTIVATED CARBON/REFRIGERANT COMBINATIONS FOR ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    ES Obe

    2001-03-01

    Mar 1, 2001 ... to solar adsorption refrigeration machines are estimated. ... heat, activated carbon/ammonia requires the use of advanced flat-plate collectors such as those with multiple ... the thermodynamic performance of zeolite-water.

  11. Preconcentration and extraction of copper(II) on activated carbon ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Activated carbon modified method was used for the preconcentration and ... in real samples such as tap water, wastewater and a synthetic water sample by flame ... KEY WORDS: Copper(II), Solid phase extraction, Activated carbon, Flame ...

  12. Activated carbon fibers and engineered forms from renewable resources

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baker, Frederick S

    2013-02-19

    A method of producing activated carbon fibers (ACFs) includes the steps of providing a natural carbonaceous precursor fiber material, blending the carbonaceous precursor material with a chemical activation agent to form chemical agent-impregnated precursor fibers, spinning the chemical agent-impregnated precursor material into fibers, and thermally treating the chemical agent-impregnated precursor fibers. The carbonaceous precursor material is both carbonized and activated to form ACFs in a single step. The method produces ACFs exclusive of a step to isolate an intermediate carbon fiber.

  13. Disinfection of bacteria attached to granular activated carbon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    LeChevallier, M W; Hassenauer, T S; Camper, A K; McFeters, G A

    1984-01-01

    Heterotrophic plate count bacteria, coliform organisms, and pathogenic microorganisms attached to granular activated carbon particles were examined for their susceptibility to chlorine disinfection. When these bacteria were grown on carbon particles and then disinfected with 2.0 mg of chlorine per liter (1.4 to 1.6 mg of free chlorine residual per liter after 1 h) for 1 h, no significant decrease in viable counts was observed. Washed cells attached to the surface of granular activated carbon particles showed similar resistance to chlorine, but a progressive increase in sublethal injury was found. Observations made by scanning electron microscope indicated that granular activated carbon was colonized by bacteria which grow in cracks and crevices and are coated by an extracellular slime layer. These data suggest a possible mechanism by which treatment and disinfection barriers can be penetrated and pathogenic bacteria may enter drinking water supplies. Images PMID:6508306

  14. Biological treatment of textile mill wastewater in the. presence of activated carbon

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liaquat, F.; Hassan, M.; Mahboob, S.; Rehman, A.; Liaquat, S.; Khalid, Z.M.

    2005-01-01

    The main goal of this study was to find out effectiveness of biological treatment for the reduction in chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biological oxygen demand (BOD) of the textile processing industrial wastewater in the absence and presence of granular activated carbon (GAC) in shake flask experiment. To check the pollution level, physio-chemical analysis of effluent from Amtex industry (Faisalabad) was carried out. The outlet effluent contained high value of COD (1100 mg/l), BOD (309 mg/l) with pH 9.2, electrical conductivity (Ec) 3.7 mS/m, total dissolved solids (TDS) (2640 mg/l), total solids (TS) (3060 mg/l), total suspended solids (TSS) (420 19/l) and phenol (.34 mg/l). After initial period of activated sludge adaptation to wastewater, shake flask batch cultures (with and without activated carbon) were operated on lab scale. The COD and BOD were noted after very 12 hours for 3 days. The maximum reduction in COD (82%) and BOD (90%) was observed biological treatment in presence of activated carbon at retention time of 72 hours. (author)

  15. Extraction of sediment-associated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons with granular activated carbon

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Rakowska, M.I.; Kupryianchyk, D.; Grotenhuis, J.T.C.; Rijnaarts, H.H.M.; Koelmans, A.A.

    2013-01-01

    Addition of activated carbon (AC) to sediments has been proposed as a method to reduce ecotoxicological risks of sediment-bound contaminants. The present study explores the effectiveness of granular AC (GAC) in extracting polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) from highly contaminated sediments. Four

  16. Novel synthesis of highly durable and active Pt catalyst encapsulated in nitrogen containing carbon for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Hyunjoon; Sung, Yung-Eun; Choi, Insoo; Lim, Taeho; Kwon, Oh Joong

    2017-09-01

    Novel synthesis of a Pt catalyst encapsulated in a N-containing carbon layer for use in a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell is described in this study. A Pt-aniline complex, formed by mixing Pt precursor and aniline monomer, was used as the source of Pt, C, and N. Heat treatment of the Pt-aniline complex with carbon black yielded 5 nm Pt nanoparticles encapsulated by a N-containing carbon layer originating from aniline carbonization. The synthesized Pt catalyst exhibited higher mass specific activity to oxygen reduction reaction than that shown by conventional Pt/C catalyst because pyridinic N with graphitic carbon in the carbon layer provided active sites for oxygen reduction reaction in addition to those provided by Pt. In single cell testing, initial performance of the synthesized catalyst was limited because the thick catalyst layer increased resistance related to mass transfer. However, it was observed that the carbon layer successfully prevented Pt nanoparticles from growing via agglomeration and Ostwald ripening under fuel cell operation, thereby improving durability. Furthermore, a mass specific performance of the synthesized catalyst higher than that of a conventional Pt/C catalyst was achieved by modifying the synthesized catalyst's layer thickness.

  17. Effects of Activated Carbon Surface Property on Structure and Activity of Ru/AC Catalysts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, S. K.; Li, L. M.; Guo, N. N.

    2018-05-01

    The activated carbon (AC) was modified by supercritical (SC) methanol, HNO3 oxidation, or HNO3 oxidation plus SC methanol, respectively. Then, the original and the modified AC were used as supports for Ru/AC catalysts prepared via the impregnation method. The results showed that the SC methanol modification decreased the content of surface acidic groups of AC. While HNO3 oxidation displayed the opposite behavior. Furthermore, the dispersion of ruthenium and the activity of catalysts were highly dependent on the content of surface acidic groups, and the SC methanol modified sample exhibited the highest activity for hydrogenation of glucose.

  18. Low-temperature preparation and microwave photocatalytic activity study of TiO2-mounted activated carbon

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Yazi; Yang Shaogui; Hong Jun; Sun Cheng

    2007-01-01

    TiO 2 thin films were deposited on granular activated carbon by a dip-coating method at low temperature (373 K), using microwave radiation to enhance the crystallization of titania nanoparticles. Uniform and continuous anatase titania films were deposited on the surface of activated carbon. BET surface area of TiO 2 -mounted activated carbon (TiO 2 /AC) decreased a little in comparison with activated carbon. TiO 2 /AC possessed strong optical absorption capacity with a band gap absorption edge around 360 nm. The photocatalytic activity did not increase when the as-synthesized TiO 2 /AC was thermally treated, but was much higher than commercial P-25 in degradation of phenol by irradiation of electrodeless discharge lamps (EDLs)

  19. A novel bio-electrochemical system with sand/activated carbon separator, Al anode and bio-anode integrated micro-electrolysis/electro-flocculation cost effectively treated high load wastewater with energy recovery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Changfei; Liu, Lifen; Yang, Fenglin

    2018-02-01

    A novel bio-electrochemical system (BES) was developed by integrating micro-electrolysis/electro-flocculation from attaching a sacrificing Al anode to the bio-anode, it effectively treated high load wastewater with energy recovery (maximum power density of 365.1 mW/m 3 and a maximum cell voltage of 0.97 V), and achieving high removals of COD (>99.4%), NH 4 + -N (>98.7%) and TP (>98.6%). The anode chamber contains microbes, activated carbon (AC)/graphite granules and Al anode. It was separated from the cathode chamber containing bifunctional catalytic and filtration membrane cathode (loaded with Fe/Mn/C/F/O catalyst) by a multi-medium chamber (MMC) filled with manganese sand and activated carbon granules, which replaced expensive PEM and reduced cost. An air contact oxidation bed for aeration was still adopted before liquid entering the cathode chamber. micro-electrolysis/electro-flocculation helps in achieving high removal efficiencies and contributes to membrane fouling migration. The increase of activated carbon in the separator MMC increased power generation and reduced system electric resistance. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Investigation on the rapid degradation of congo red catalyzed by activated carbon powder under microwave irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Zhaohong; Shan Yabo; Wang Jun; Ling Hongjie; Zang Shuliang; Gao Wei; Zhao Zhe; Zhang Huachun

    2007-01-01

    Azo dyestuff-congo red in aqueous solution can be degraded rapidly under microwave irradiation in the presence of activated carbon powder. The results showed that the degradation ratio could reach 87.79% for 25 mL total volume with 50 mg/L congo red and 2.0 g/L activated carbon powder under 1.5 min microwave irradiation. Furthermore, within the same irradiation time, congo red could be degraded fully by increasing addition amount (e.g. 3.6 g/L) of activated carbon powder and the degradation ratio was up to 96.49%. Otherwise, with the same addition amount, congo red also could be degraded completely by prolonging irradiation time (e.g. 2.5 min) and the degradation ratio was up to 97.88%. In addition, the influences of microwave irradiation time, initial concentration of congo red, addition amount and used times of activated carbon powder as well as solution acidity on the degradation were discussed in details adopting UV-vis spectra, FT-IR spectra, ion chromatography, high phase liquid chromatography (HPLC) and TOC analysis technologies. Here, the method using activated carbon powder as catalyst under microwave irradiation shows many advantages including high degradation ratios, short reaction time, low costs, no intermediates and no secondary pollution. Therefore, it may be fit for dealing with various azo dyestuff wastewaters on a large scale

  1. CO{sub 2} capture using fly ash-derived activated carbons impregnated with low molecular mass amines

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Smith, K.M.; Arenillas, A.; Drage, T.C.; Snape, C.E. [University of Nottingham, Nottingham (United Kingdom). Nottingham Fuel and Energy Centre

    2005-07-01

    Two different approaches to develop high capacity CO{sub 2} sorbents are presented. Firstly, the modification of the surface chemistry of low cost carbons by impregnation with a basic nitrogen-containing polymer (i.e.polyethylenimine) is described. Relatively low molecular mass (MM) amines, namely diethanolamine (DEA, MM 105) and tetraethylenepentaamineacrylonitrile (TEPAN, MM 311) are used to produce high capacity CO{sub 2} sorbents from activated carbons derived from unburned carbon in fly ash, which have low mesoporosities. The CO{sub 2} adsorption capacity and thermal stability of the prepared sorbents was measured as a function of temperature in a thermogravimetric analyser. The results indicate that TEPAN is more effective than DEA; at a temperature of 75{sup o}C, fly ash-derived activated carbons loaded with TEPAN achieved CO{sub 2} adsorption capacities in excess of 5 wt%, which compares fabvourably with the CO{sub 2} absorption capacity of 6.5 wt% achieved with a mesoporous silica loaded with TEPAN, and outperforms fly ash-derived activated carbons loaded with PEI. TEPAN has also been shown to have a higher thermal stability than DEA. The second approach involves the development of high nitrogen content carbon matrix adsorbents by carbonisation and subsequent thermal or chemical activation of a range of materials (polyacrylonitrile, glucose-amine mixtures, melamine and urea/melamine-formaldehyde resins). The results show that although the amount of nitrogen incorporated to the final adsorbent is important, the N-functionality seems to be more relevant for increasing CO{sub 2} uptake. However, the adsorbent obtained from carbazole-sugar co-pyrolysis, despite the lower amount of N incorporated, shows high CO{sub 2} uptake, up to 9 wt%, probably because the presence of more basic functionalities as determined by XPS analysis. 9 refs., 2 figs.

  2. Production and characterization of activated carbon using indigenous waste materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shahid, M.; Ibrahim, F.

    2011-01-01

    Activated carbon was produced from shisham wood and coconut shell through chemical activation, using phosphoric acid and low temperature carbonization. Proximate analysis and characterization of the product were carried out and Brunauer Emmett Teller (BET) surface area, total ash content, moisture content, pH value and iodine number were determined. The product characteristics were well comparable with those of the commercially available activated carbon. (author)

  3. Three-dimensional interconnected porous graphitic carbon derived from rice straw for high performance supercapacitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jin, Hong; Hu, Jingpeng; Wu, Shichao; Wang, Xiaolan; Zhang, Hui; Xu, Hui; Lian, Kun

    2018-04-01

    Three-dimensional interconnected porous graphitic carbon materials are synthesized via a combination of graphitization and activation process with rice straw as the carbon source. The physicochemical properties of the three-dimensional interconnected porous graphitic carbon materials are characterized by Nitrogen adsorption/desorption, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, Scanning electron microscopy and Transmission electron microscopy. The results demonstrate that the as-prepared carbon is a high surface area carbon material (a specific surface area of 3333 m2 g-1 with abundant mesoporous and microporous structures). And it exhibits superb performance in symmetric double layer capacitors with a high specific capacitance of 400 F g-1 at a current density of 0.1 A g-1, good rate performance with 312 F g-1 under a current density of 5 A g-1 and favorable cycle stability with 6.4% loss after 10000 cycles at a current density of 5 A g-1 in the aqueous electrolyte of 6M KOH. Thus, rice straw is a promising carbon source for fabricating inexpensive, sustainable and high performance supercapacitors' electrode materials.

  4. Fenton-Driven Regeneration of MTBE-spent Granular Activated Carbon

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fenton-driven regeneration of Methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE)-spent granular activated carbon (GAC) involves the combined, synergistic use of two treatment technologies: adsorption of organic chemicals onto activated carbon and Fenton-driven oxidation regeneration of the spent-GAC...

  5. Environmental variation, vegetation distribution, carbon dynamics and water/energy exchange at high latitudes

    Science.gov (United States)

    McGuire, A.D.; Wirth, C.; Apps, M.; Beringer, J.; Clein, J.; Epstein, H.; Kicklighter, D.W.; Bhatti, J.; Chapin, F. S.; De Groot, B.; Efremov, D.; Eugster, W.; Fukuda, M.; Gower, T.; Hinzman, L.; Huntley, B.; Jia, G.J.; Kasischke, E.; Melillo, J.; Romanovsky, V.; Shvidenko, A.; Vaganov, E.; Walker, D.

    2002-01-01

    The responses of high latitude ecosystems to global change involve complex interactions among environmental variables, vegetation distribution, carbon dynamics, and water and energy exchange. These responses may have important consequences for the earth system. In this study, we evaluated how vegetation distribution, carbon stocks and turnover, and water and energy exchange are related to environmental variation spanned by the network of the IGBP high latitude transects. While the most notable feature of the high latitude transects is that they generally span temperature gradients from southern to northern latitudes, there are substantial differences in temperature among the transects. Also, along each transect temperature co-varies with precipitation and photosynthetically active radiation, which are also variable among the transects. Both climate and disturbance interact to influence latitudinal patterns of vegetation and soil carbon storage among the transects, and vegetation distribution appears to interact with climate to determine exchanges of heat and moisture in high latitudes. Despite limitations imposed by the data we assembled, the analyses in this study have taken an important step toward clarifying the complexity of interactions among environmental variables, vegetation distribution, carbon stocks and turnover, and water and energy exchange in high latitude regions. This study reveals the need to conduct coordinated global change studies in high latitudes to further elucidate how interactions among climate, disturbance, and vegetation distribution influence carbon dynamics and water and energy exchange in high latitudes.

  6. Preparation of activated Carbons from extracted waste biomass by chemical activation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Toteva, V.; Nickolov, R.

    2013-01-01

    Full text: Novel biomass precursors for the production of activated carbons (ACs) were studied. ACs were prepared from extracted coffee husks and extracted spent ground coffee - separately or as mixtures with 10, 20 and 30 mass % Bulgarian lignite coal. Activation by potassium hydroxide was employed for all samples. The results obtained show that the surface and porous parameters of the ACs depend on the nature of the initial materials used. The specific surface areas (BET) and the microporosities of ACs obtained from extracted spent ground coffee mixed with 20 mass % Bulgarian lignite coals, are greater than those of the ACs from extracted coffee husks. It is likely that the reason for this result is the chemical composition of the precursors. The coffee husks have less lignin and more holocellulose. The latter undergoes more significant destructive changes in the process of chemical activation. On the contrary, waste ground coffee precursors contain more lignin and less holocellulose. As a result, after the chemical activation, the carbons prepared from extracted spent ground coffee exhibit better porous parameters and higher specific surface areas. key words: activated carbons, extraction, waste biomass

  7. Hydrogen Adsorption on Activated Carbon an Carbon Nanotubes Using Volumetric Differential Pressure Technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sanip, S. M.; Saidin, M. A. R.; Aziz, M.; Ismail, A. F.

    2010-01-01

    A simple hydrogen adsorption measurement system utilizing the volumetric differential pressure technique has been designed, fabricated and calibrated. Hydrogen adsorption measurements have been carried out at temperatures 298 K and 77 K on activate carbon and carbon nanotubes with different surface areas. The adsorption data obtained will be helpful in understanding the adsorption property of the studied carbon materials using the fundamentals of adsorption theory. The principle of the system follows the Sievert-type method. The system measures a change in pressure between the reference cell, R1 and the sample cell S1, S2, S3 over a certain temperature range, R1, S1, S2, and S3 having known fixed volume. The sample temperatures will be monitored by thermocouple TC while the pressures in R1 an S1, S2, S3 will be measured using a digital pressure transducer. The maximum operating pressure of the pressure transducer is 20 bar and calibrated with an accuracy of ±0.01 bar. High purity hydrogen is being used in the system and the amount of samples for the study is between 1.0-2.0 grams. The system was calibrated using helium gas without any samples in S1, S2 an S3. This will provide a correction factor during the adsorption process providing an adsorption free reference point when using hydrogen gas resulting in a more accurate reading of the adsorption process by eliminating the errors caused by temperature expansion effects and other non-adsorption related phenomena. The ideal gas equation of state is applied to calculate the hydrogen adsorption capacity based on the differential pressure measurements. Activated carbon with a surface area of 644.87 m 2 /g showed a larger amount of adsorption as compared to multiwalled nanotubes (commercial) with a surface area of 119.68 m 2 /g. This study als indicated that there is a direct correlation between the amounts of hydrogen adsorbed an surface area of the carbon materials under the conditions studied and that the adsorption

  8. Carbon-doped SnS2 nanostructure as a high-efficiency solar fuel catalyst under visible light.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shown, Indrajit; Samireddi, Satyanarayana; Chang, Yu-Chung; Putikam, Raghunath; Chang, Po-Han; Sabbah, Amr; Fu, Fang-Yu; Chen, Wei-Fu; Wu, Chih-I; Yu, Tsyr-Yan; Chung, Po-Wen; Lin, M C; Chen, Li-Chyong; Chen, Kuei-Hsien

    2018-01-12

    Photocatalytic formation of hydrocarbons using solar energy via artificial photosynthesis is a highly desirable renewable-energy source for replacing conventional fossil fuels. Using an L-cysteine-based hydrothermal process, here we synthesize a carbon-doped SnS 2 (SnS 2 -C) metal dichalcogenide nanostructure, which exhibits a highly active and selective photocatalytic conversion of CO 2 to hydrocarbons under visible-light. The interstitial carbon doping induced microstrain in the SnS 2 lattice, resulting in different photophysical properties as compared with undoped SnS 2 . This SnS 2 -C photocatalyst significantly enhances the CO 2 reduction activity under visible light, attaining a photochemical quantum efficiency of above 0.7%. The SnS 2 -C photocatalyst represents an important contribution towards high quantum efficiency artificial photosynthesis based on gas phase photocatalytic CO 2 reduction under visible light, where the in situ carbon-doped SnS 2 nanostructure improves the stability and the light harvesting and charge separation efficiency, and significantly enhances the photocatalytic activity.

  9. Advanced fire-resistant forms of activated carbon and methods of adsorbing and separating gases using same

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiong, Yongliang; Wang, Yifeng

    2015-02-03

    Advanced, fire-resistant activated carbon compositions useful in adsorbing gases; and having vastly improved fire resistance are provided, and methods for synthesizing the compositions are also provided. The advanced compositions have high gas adsorption capacities and rapid adsorption kinetics (comparable to commercially-available activated carbon), without having any intrinsic fire hazard. They also have superior performance to Mordenites in both adsorption capacities and kinetics. In addition, the advanced compositions do not pose the fibrous inhalation hazard that exists with use of Mordenites. The fire-resistant compositions combine activated carbon mixed with one or more hydrated and/or carbonate-containing minerals that release H.sub.2O and/or CO.sub.2 when heated. This effect raises the spontaneous ignition temperature to over 500.degree. C. in most examples, and over 800.degree. C. in some examples. Also provided are methods for removing and/or separating target gases, such as Krypton or Argon, from a gas stream by using such advanced activated carbons.

  10. Effect of the nature the carbon precursor on the physico-chemical characteristics of the resulting activated carbon materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jimenez, Vicente; Sanchez, Paula; Valverde, Jose Luis; Romero, Amaya

    2010-01-01

    Carbon materials, including amorphous carbon, graphite, carbon nanospheres (CNSs) and different types of carbon nanofibers (CNFs) [platelet, herringbone and ribbon], were chemically activated using KOH. The pore structure of carbon materials was analyzed using N 2 /77 K adsorption isotherms. The presence of oxygen groups was analyzed by temperature programmed desorption in He and acid-base titration. The structural order of the materials was studied by X-ray diffraction and temperature programmed oxidation. The morphology and diameter distribution of CNFs and CNSs were characterized by transmission electron microscopy. The materials were also characterized by temperature-desorption programmed of H 2 and elemental composition. The ways in which the different structures were activated are described, showing the type of pores generated. Relationships between carbon yield, removed carbon, activation degree and graphitic character were also examined. The oxygen content in the form of oxygen-containing surface groups increased after the activation giving qualitative information about them. The average diameter of both CNFs and CNSs was decreased after the activation process as consequence of the changes produced on the material surface.

  11. Effect of the nature the carbon precursor on the physico-chemical characteristics of the resulting activated carbon materials

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jimenez, Vicente, E-mail: vicente.jimenez@uclm.es [Facultad de Ciencias Quimicas, Departamento de Ingenieria Quimica, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, 13071 Ciudad Real (Spain); Sanchez, Paula; Valverde, Jose Luis [Facultad de Ciencias Quimicas, Departamento de Ingenieria Quimica, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, 13071 Ciudad Real (Spain); Romero, Amaya [Escuela Tecnica Agricola, Departamento de Ingenieria Quimica, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, 13071 Ciudad Real (Spain)

    2010-11-01

    Carbon materials, including amorphous carbon, graphite, carbon nanospheres (CNSs) and different types of carbon nanofibers (CNFs) [platelet, herringbone and ribbon], were chemically activated using KOH. The pore structure of carbon materials was analyzed using N{sub 2}/77 K adsorption isotherms. The presence of oxygen groups was analyzed by temperature programmed desorption in He and acid-base titration. The structural order of the materials was studied by X-ray diffraction and temperature programmed oxidation. The morphology and diameter distribution of CNFs and CNSs were characterized by transmission electron microscopy. The materials were also characterized by temperature-desorption programmed of H{sub 2} and elemental composition. The ways in which the different structures were activated are described, showing the type of pores generated. Relationships between carbon yield, removed carbon, activation degree and graphitic character were also examined. The oxygen content in the form of oxygen-containing surface groups increased after the activation giving qualitative information about them. The average diameter of both CNFs and CNSs was decreased after the activation process as consequence of the changes produced on the material surface.

  12. Fabrication of novel micro-nano carbonous composites based on self-made hollow activated carbon fibers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kong Yuxia; Qiu Tingting [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 201804 (China); Qiu Jun, E-mail: qiujun@tongji.edu.cn [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 201804 (China); Key Laboratory of Advanced Civil Engineering Materials of Education of Ministry, Shanghai 201804 (China)

    2013-01-15

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Hollow pipe and porous HACF with solid carbon net framework structure were successfully prepared by template method. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer CNTs were grown successfully on the self-made HACF substrate by CVD techniques. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer A novel tree-like micro-nano carbonous structure CNTs/HACF was fabricated. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The formation mechanism of micro phase HACF and nano phase CNTs were respectively discussed. - Abstract: The hollow activated carbon fibers (HACF) were prepared by using commercial polypropylene hollow fiber (PPHF) as the template, and phenol-formaldehyde resin (PF) as carbon precursors. Final HACF was formed through the thermal decomposition and carbonization of PF at 700 Degree-Sign C under the nitrogen atmosphere, and activation at 800 Degree-Sign C with carbon dioxide as the activating agent, consecutively. Then, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were grown by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) techniques using the as-grown porous HACF as substrate. The growth process was achieved by pyrolyzing ethanol steam at 700 Degree-Sign C using nickel as catalyst. Finally, CNTs was grown successfully on the substrate, and a novel tree-like micro-nano carbonous structure CNTs/HACF was fabricated. The as-grown HACF and micro-nano CNTs/HACF were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and thermogravimetric analysis (TG), respectively. Moreover, the formation mechanisms were also discussed.

  13. The influence of activating agents on the performance of rice husk-based carbon for sodium lauryl sulfate and chrome (Cr) metal adsorptions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arneli; Safitri, Z. F.; Pangestika, A. W.; Fauziah, F.; Wahyuningrum, V. N.; Astuti, Y.

    2017-02-01

    This research aims to study the influence of activating agents to produce rice husk based-carbon with high adsorption capacity and efficiency for either hazardous organic molecules or heavy metals which are unfriendly for the environment. Firstly, rice husk was burned by pyrolysis at different temperatures to produce rice husk-based carbon. To improve its ability as an adsorbent, carbon was treated with activating agents, namely, H3PO4 and KOH at room and high temperature (420 °C). The performance of carbon was then tested by contacting it with surfactant (SLS). Finally, the surfactant-modified active carbon was applied for chrome metal removal. The result shows that activation of carbon using phosphate acid (H3PO4) was more effective than potassium hydroxide (KOH) conducted at high temperature to adsorb sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and chrome metal with the adsorption capacity 1.50 mgg-1 and 0.375 mgg-1, respectively.

  14. Nano-micro carbon spheres anchored on porous carbon derived from dual-biomass as high rate performance supercapacitor electrodes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Shaobo; Zhao, Yang; Zhang, Baihui; Xia, Hui; Zhou, Jianfei; Xie, Wenke; Li, Hongjian

    2018-03-01

    Hierarchical nano-micro carbon spheres@rice straw-derived porous carbon composites are successfully synthesized by the in situ decoration of the porous carbon with carbon spheres from glucose under the assistance of cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide micelles and further activated by KOH. The scanning electron microscope images clearly show the carbon spheres disperse homogeneously and orderly onto the surface and in the inner macropores of the porous carbon. The diameter of the carbon spheres varies from 475 nm to 1.6 μm, which can be easily controlled by introducing extra inducing agent. The optimal composites exhibit a large specific surface area (1122 m2 g-1), rich content of oxygen (14.2 wt %), and tunable hierarchical porous structure. When used as supercapacitor electrodes, the novel composites with abundant fruits present a high specific capacitance of 337 F g-1 at 1 A g-1, excellent rate retention of 83% from 1 to 20 A g-1 and a good cycling stability with 96% capacitance retention after 10000 cycles. In this strategy, the thought of shared ion-buffering reservoirs is proposed and the mutual promotion effects between the carbon spheres and porous carbon in the composites are also practically demonstrated to contribute the enhanced electrochemical performances.

  15. Bactericidal efficacy of silver impregnated activated carbon for disinfection of water

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sultana, L.; Khan, F.A.; Usmani, T.H.

    2009-01-01

    When highly contaminated water was passed through two types of silver coated activated carbon and their mixtures with sand, the former was found to be far better medium for disinfection of water, with bactericidal efficacy of about 2.5 times that of the latter. (author)

  16. Modelling Cr(VI) removal by a combined carbon-activated sludge system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Orozco, A. Micaela Ferro; Contreras, Edgardo M.; Zaritzky, Noemi E.

    2008-01-01

    The combined carbon-activated sludge process has been proposed as an alternative to protect the biomass against toxic substances in wastewaters; however, the information about the effect of powdered-activated carbon (PAC) addition in activated sludge reactors for the treatment of wastewaters containing Cr(VI) is limited. The objectives of the present study were: (a) to evaluate the removal of hexavalent chromium by (i) activated sludge microorganisms in aerobic batch reactors, (ii) powdered-activated carbon, and (iii) the combined action of powdered-activated carbon and biomass; (b) to propose mathematical models that interpret the experimental results. Different Cr(VI) removal systems were tested: (S1) biomass (activated sludge), (S2) PAC, and (S3) the combined activated carbon-biomass system. A Monod-based mathematical model was used to describe the kinetics of Cr(VI) removal in the system S1. A first-order kinetics with respect to Cr(VI) and PAC respectively, was proposed to model the removal of Cr(VI) in the system S2. Cr(VI) removal in the combined carbon-biomass system (S3) was faster than both Cr(VI) removal using PAC or activated sludge individually. Results showed that the removal of Cr(VI) using the activated carbon-biomass system (S3) was adequately described by combining the kinetic equations proposed for the systems S1 and S2

  17. Three-dimensional porous activated carbon derived from loofah sponge biomass for supercapacitor applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Su, Xiao-Li; Chen, Jing-Ran; Zheng, Guang-Ping; Yang, Jing-He; Guan, Xin-Xin; Liu, Pu; Zheng, Xiu-Cheng

    2018-04-01

    Biomass carbon source is generally cheap, environmentally friendly and readily available in high quality and quantity. In this work, a series of loofah sponge-derived activated carbon (SAC-x) with hierarchical porous structures are prepared by KOH chemical activation and used as electrode materials for supercapacitors. The pore size can be easily controllable by changing the dosage of KOH. The optimized material (SAC-4) exhibits a high specific capacitance of 309.6 F g-1 at 1 A g-1 in the three-electrode system using 6 M KOH electrolyte. More importantly, the as-assembled symmetric supercapacitor based on SAC-4 exhibits a high energy density of 16.1 Wh kg-1 at a power density of 160.0 W kg-1 using 1 M Na2SO4 electrolyte. These remarkable results demonstrate the exciting commercial potential of SAC-x for high-performance supercapacitor applications due to their high specific surface area, appropriately porous structure, and the trace heteroatom (O and N) functionalities.

  18. Relation between interfacial energy and adsorption of organic micropollutants onto activated carbon

    KAUST Repository

    De Ridder, David J.

    2013-03-01

    The adsorption efficacy of 16 pharmaceuticals on six different activated carbons is correlated to the thermodynamic work of adhesion, which was derived following the surface tension component approach. Immersion calorimetry was used to determine the surface tension components of activated carbon, while contact angle measurements on compressed plates were used to determine these for solutes. We found that the acid-base surface tension components of activated carbon correlated to the activated carbon oxygen content. Solute-water interaction correlated well to their solubility, although four solutes deviated from the trend. In the interaction between solute and activated carbon, van der Waals interactions were dominant and explained 65-94% of the total interaction energy, depending on the hydrophobicity of the activated carbon and solute. A reasonable relationship (r2 > 70) was found between the calculated work of adhesion and the experimentally determined activated carbon loading. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Relation between interfacial energy and adsorption of organic micropollutants onto activated carbon

    KAUST Repository

    De Ridder, David J.; Verliefde, Arne R. D.; Schoutteten, K.; Van Der Linden, Bart Th; Heijman, Sebastiaan G J; Beurroies, Isabelle; Denoyel, Renaud O.; Amy, Gary L.; Van Dijk, Johannis C.

    2013-01-01

    The adsorption efficacy of 16 pharmaceuticals on six different activated carbons is correlated to the thermodynamic work of adhesion, which was derived following the surface tension component approach. Immersion calorimetry was used to determine the surface tension components of activated carbon, while contact angle measurements on compressed plates were used to determine these for solutes. We found that the acid-base surface tension components of activated carbon correlated to the activated carbon oxygen content. Solute-water interaction correlated well to their solubility, although four solutes deviated from the trend. In the interaction between solute and activated carbon, van der Waals interactions were dominant and explained 65-94% of the total interaction energy, depending on the hydrophobicity of the activated carbon and solute. A reasonable relationship (r2 > 70) was found between the calculated work of adhesion and the experimentally determined activated carbon loading. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Ignition properties of nuclear grade activated carbons

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Freeman, W.P.; Hunt, J.R.; Kovach, J.L.

    1983-01-01

    The ignition property of new activated carbons used in air cleaning systems of nuclear facilities has been evaluated in the past, however very little information has been generated on the behavior of aged, weathered carbons which have been exposed to normal nuclear facility environment. Additionally the standard procedure for evaluation of ignition temperature of carbon is performed under very different conditions than those used in the design of nuclear air cleaning systems. Data were generated evaluating the ageing of activated carbons and comparing their CH 3 131 I removal histories to their ignition temperatures. A series of tests were performed on samples from one nuclear power reactor versus use time, a second series evaluated samples from several plants showing the variability of atmospheric effects. The ignition temperatures were evaluated simulating the conditions existing in nuclear air cleaning systems, such as velocity, bed depth, etc., to eliminate potential confusion resulting from artifically set current standard conditions

  1. Valuing carbon assets for high-tech with application to the wind energy industry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Han, Liyan; Liu, Yang; Lin, Qiang; Huang, Gubo

    2015-01-01

    In contrast to the traditional methods for high-tech evaluation, we introduce a new, more active idea for considering the carbon asset effect, in addition to the economic and technological considerations for strategic significance. The method proposed in this paper considers a reduced amount of carbon emissions, less than that of the current industry baseline, to be an asset that is beneficial to a firm that adopts a new technology. The measured carbon asset values vary across different technologies, in different industries and over time. The new method is applied to the valuing of wind energy technology and uses the Weibull distribution to estimate the wind energy capacity and a concrete sensitivity analysis. These applications support the validity of the new method and show that the impact of the fluctuations of carbon sinks on the values of carbon assets is significantly greater than that of volatility in the production output. The paper also presents some policy recommendations based on the results. - Highlights: • Carbon asset dimension for high-tech evaluation. • Valuing wind energy technology by Weibull distribution. • Greater impact of the carbon sink price on the carbon asset value than that of production output. • The environmental risk could be measured based on the carbon asset assessment.

  2. Catalytic oxidation of NO to NO2 on activated carbon

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhancheng Guo; Yusheng Xie

    2001-01-01

    Catalytic oxidation of NO to NO 2 over activated carbons PAN-ACF, pitch-ACF and coconut-AC at room temperature (30 o C) were studied to develop a method based on oxidative removal of NO from flue gases. For a dry gas, under the conditions of a gas space flow rate 1500 h -1 in the presence of oxygen of 2-20% in volume concentration, the activated coconut carbon with a surface area 1200 m 2 /g converted about 81-94% of NO with increasing oxygen concentration, the pitch based activated carbon fiber with a surface area 1000 m 2 /g about 44-75%, and the polyacrylonitrile-based activated carbon fiber with a surface area 1810 m 2 /g about 25-68%. The order of activity of the activated carbons was PAN-ACF c P NO P O2 β (F/W), where β is 0.042, 0.16, 0.31 for the coconut-AC, the pitch-ACF and the PAN-ACF respectively, and k c is 0.94 at 30 o C. (author)

  3. The production of activated carbon from nigerian mineral coal via steam activation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nwosu, F.O.; Owolabi, B.I.O.; Adebowale, O.

    2010-01-01

    Activated carbon was produced from Okpara sub-bituminous coal and Ogwashi brown lignite coal of Nigeria through steam activation at 900 degree C and 960 degree C each for 30 min and 60 min. Okpara and Ogwashi precursor coals had carbon content of 67.41 and 64.47%, respectively, whereas the bulk density and the ash content were 0.59 - 0.68 g/mL and 2.56-9.91%, respectively. The former exhibited up to 901.0 mg/g iodine number and Brunauer Emmett Teller (BET) surface area of 604 m/sup 2/g while the latter, iodine number of 998.0 mg/g and 669 m/sup 2/g BET surface area. Both showed adequate porosity indicative of their potential for utilization for commercial production of active carbons. (author)

  4. Thermal characteristics of spent activated carbon generated from air cleaning units in korean nuclear power plants

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ji-Yang So

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available To identify the feasibility of disposing of spent activated carbon as a clearance level waste, we performed characterization of radioactive pollution for spent activated carbon through radioisotope analysis; results showed that the C-14 concentrations of about half of the spent activated carbon samples taken from Korean NPPs exceeded the clearance level limit. In this situation, we selected thermal treatment technology to remove C-14 and analyzed the moisture content and thermal characteristics. The results of the moisture content analysis showed that the moisture content of the spent activated carbon is in the range of 1.2–23.9 wt% depending on the operation and storage conditions. The results of TGA indicated that most of the spent activated carbon lost weight in 3 temperature ranges. Through py-GC/MS analysis based on the result of TGA, we found that activated carbon loses weight rapidly with moisture desorption reaching to 100°C and desorbs various organic and inorganic carbon compounds reaching to 200°C. The result of pyrolysis analysis showed that the experiment of C-14 desorption using thermal treatment technology requires at least 3 steps of heat treatment, including a heat treatment at high temperature over 850°C, in order to reduce the C-14 concentration below the clearance level.

  5. Physicochemical characteristics and sorption capacities of heavy metal ions of activated carbons derived by activation with different alkyl phosphate triesters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Jing; Liu, Hai; Yang, Shaokun; Zhang, Jian; Zhang, Chenglu; Wu, Haiming

    2014-10-01

    Five alkyl phosphate triesters (APTEs), including trimethyl phosphate (TMP), triethyl phosphate (TEP), triisopropyl phosphate (TPP), tributyl phosphate (TBP) and trioctyl phosphate (TOP), were used as activating agents for preparing activated carbons (AC-APTEs) with high surface acidity and metal ion sorption capacity. N2 adsorption/desorption isotherms, surface morphologies, elemental compositions, results of Boehm's titration and sorption capacities of heavy metal ions of the carbons were investigated. AC-APTEs contained much more acidic groups and exhibited much less surface area (phosphoric acid activation. For the AC-APTEs, AC-TOP had the highest surface area (488 m2/g), AC-TMP showed the highest yield (41.1%), and AC-TBP possessed the highest acidic groups (2.695 mmol/g), oxygen content (47.0%) and metal ion sorption capacities (40.1 mg/g for Ni(II) and 53.5 mg/g for Cd(II)). For the carbons, AC-APTEs showed much larger Ni(II) and Cd(II) sorption capacities than AC-PPA, except AC-TPP. The differences of the carbons in the physicochemical and sorption properties suggested surface chemistry of the carbons was the main factor influencing their sorption capacities whereas the pore structure played a secondary role.

  6. A study of nitroxide polyradical/activated carbon composite as the positive electrode material for electrochemical hybrid capacitor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Li, Hui-qiao; Zou, Ying; Xia, Yong-yao [Chemistry Department and Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Catalysis and Innovative Materials, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433 (China)

    2007-01-01

    We present a new concept of the hybrid electrochemical capacitor technology in which a poly(2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidinyloxy methacrylate) nitroxide polyradical/activated carbon composite (PTMA-AC) is used as the positive electrode material and activated carbon is used as the negative electrode material. On the positive electrode, both reversible reduction and oxidation of nitroxide polyradical and non-faradic ion sorption/de-sorption of activated carbon are involved during charge and discharge process. The capacity of the composite electrode is 30% larger than that of the pure activated carbon electrode. A hybrid capacitor fabricated by the PTMA-AC composite positive electrode and the activated carbon negative electrode shows a good cycling life, it can be charged/discharged for over 1000 cycles with slight capacity loss. The hybrid capacitor also has a good rate capability, it maintains 80% of the initial capacity even at the high discharge current of up to 20C. (author)

  7. Comparison of carbon onions and carbon blacks as conductive additives for carbon supercapacitors in organic electrolytes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jäckel, N.; Weingarth, D.; Zeiger, M.; Aslan, M.; Grobelsek, I.; Presser, V.

    2014-12-01

    This study investigates carbon onions (∼400 m2 g-1) as a conductive additive for supercapacitor electrodes of activated carbon and compares their performance with carbon black with high or low internal surface area. We provide a study of the electrical conductivity and electrochemical behavior between 2.5 and 20 mass% addition of each of these three additives to activated carbon. Structural characterization shows that the density of the resulting film electrodes depends on the degree of agglomeration and the amount of additive. Addition of low surface area carbon black (∼80 m2 g-1) enhances the power handling of carbon electrodes but significantly lowers the specific capacitance even when adding small amounts of carbon black. A much lower decrease in specific capacitance is observed for carbon onions and the best values are seen for carbon black with a high surface area (∼1390 m2 g-1). The overall performance benefits from the addition of any of the studied additives only at either high scan rates and/or electrolytes with high ion mobility. Normalization to the volume shows a severe decrease in volumetric capacitance and only at high current densities nearing 10 A g-1 we can see an improvement of the electrode capacitance.

  8. Highly stable carbon coated Mg2Si intermetallic nanoparticles for lithium-ion battery anode

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tamirat, Andebet Gedamu; Hou, Mengyan; Liu, Yao; Bin, Duan; Sun, Yunhe; Fan, Long; Wang, Yonggang; Xia, Yongyao

    2018-04-01

    Silicon is an ideal candidate anode material for Li-ion batteries (LIBs). However, it suffers from rapid capacity fading due to large volume expansion upon lithium insertion. Herein, we design and fabricate highly stable carbon coated porous Mg2Si intermetallic anode material using facile mechano-thermal technique followed by carbon coating using thermal vapour deposition (TVD), toluene as carbon source. The electrode exhibits an excellent first reversible capacity of 726 mAh g-1 at a rate of 100 mA g-1. More importantly, the electrode demonstrates high rate capability (380 mAh g-1 at high rate of 2 A g-1) as well as high cycle stability, with capacity retentions of 65% over 500 cycles. These improvements are attributable to both Mg supporting medium and the uniform carbon coating, which can effectively increase the conductivity and electronic contact of the active material and protects large volume alterations during the electrochemical cycling process.

  9. Microbial Enzyme Activity and Carbon Cycling in Grassland Soil Fractions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Allison, S. D.; Jastrow, J. D.

    2004-12-01

    Extracellular enzymes are necessary to degrade complex organic compounds present in soils. Using physical fractionation procedures, we tested whether old soil carbon is spatially isolated from degradative enzymes across a prairie restoration chronosequence in Illinois, USA. We found that carbon-degrading enzymes were abundant in all soil fractions, including macroaggregates, microaggregates, and the clay fraction, which contains carbon with a mean residence time of ~200 years. The activities of two cellulose-degrading enzymes and a chitin-degrading enzyme were 2-10 times greater in organic matter fractions than in bulk soil, consistent with the rapid turnover of these fractions. Polyphenol oxidase activity was 3 times greater in the clay fraction than in the bulk soil, despite very slow carbon turnover in this fraction. Changes in enzyme activity across the restoration chronosequence were small once adjusted for increases in soil carbon concentration, although polyphenol oxidase activity per unit carbon declined by 50% in native prairie versus cultivated soil. These results are consistent with a `two-pool' model of enzyme and carbon turnover in grassland soils. In light organic matter fractions, enzyme production and carbon turnover both occur rapidly. However, in mineral-dominated fractions, both enzymes and their carbon substrates are immobilized on mineral surfaces, leading to slow turnover. Soil carbon accumulation in the clay fraction and across the prairie restoration chronosequence probably reflects increasing physical isolation of enzymes and substrates on the molecular scale, rather than the micron to millimeter scale.

  10. Application in industry and energy production of active carbon/cobalt catalyst for nitrogen oxide neutralization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mekhandzhiev, D.; Nikolov, R.; Lyutskanov, L.; Dushanov, D.; Lakov, L.

    1997-01-01

    A new material for neutralization of nitrogen oxides is presented. Two or three metals containing catalysts with a good activity and selectivity towards NO x have been obtained. Preparation of carbon catalysts by deposition of the active phase precursor on the initial carbon material prior to activation is considered as the most promising method. An active carbon-based catalyst (AC/Co) has been synthesized Apricot shells preliminary impregnated with a water-alcohol solution of Co nitrate have been used as initial carbon material. after drying they have been subjected to one-phase steam pyrolysis using a fix-bed reactor. The catalyst thus obtained has a specific surface area (BET) of 53 m 2 g -1 , a favorable mesopore volume/total volume ratio (about 0.85) determined by nitrogen adsorption, a suitable mesopore distribution, about 70% of the mesopores being characterized by r p larger than 25 A and a high dispersion of the Co oxide phase. In addition the catalyst possesses the necessary mechanical resistance. The catalyst has exhibited a high activity with respect to NO x reduction with CO at low temperatures (at 150-250 o C which are the temperatures of industrial flue gases, nO conversion up to 60-95% occurs) and a high selectivity. No presence of H 2 O has been established over the whole temperature range (100-300 o C). An additional advantage of the catalyst is the fact that the amount of CO above 150 o C is lower than the stoichiometric which indicates parallel participation in the process of both the active phase and the support (active carbon) It is also important that the presented catalyst has a low price due to the use of waste products from agriculture and the elimination of special thermal treatment of the supported Co nitrate. There are possibilities of using of other organic wastes from agriculture as well as wastes obtained during flotation of coal. (author)

  11. Characterization and restoration of performance of 'aged' radioiodine removing activated carbons

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Freeman, W.P.

    1997-01-01

    The degradation of radioiodine removal performance for impregnated activated carbons because of ageing is well established. However, the causes for this degradation remain unclear. One theory is that this reduction in performance from the ageing process results from an oxidation of the surface of the carbon. Radioiodine removing activated carbons that failed radioiodine removal tests showed an oxidized surface that had become hydrophilic compared with new carbons. We attempted to restore the performance of these 'failed' carbons with a combination of thermal and chemical treatment. The results of these investigations are presented and discussed with the view of extending the life of radioiodine removing activated carbons. 4 refs., 2 tabs

  12. Porous carbon with small mesoporesas an ultra-high capacity adsorption medium

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Biaofeng; Zhou, Haitao; Chen, De; Yang, Jianhong

    2017-10-01

    Resins (732-type), abundant and inexpensive resources were used to prepare porous carbon with small mesopores (CSM) by carbonization and post-chemical-activation with potassium hydroxide (KOH). The N2 adsorption measurements revealed that CSM had high surface areas (1776.5 m2 g-1), large pore volumes (1.10 cm3 g-1), and nearly optimal narrow small mesopore sizes ranging from 2 to 7 nm. CSM was used as adsorbent to investigate the adsorption behavior for Rhodamine B (RhB). Due to the optimal pore size distributions (PSD), intensive-stacking interaction, S-doped, and electrostatic attraction, the CSM exhibited an ultra-high-capacity of 1590 mg g-1 for RhB in aqueous solutions.

  13. Engineering the Pores of Biomass-Derived Carbon: Insights for Achieving Ultrahigh Stability at High Power in High-Energy Supercapacitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thangavel, Ranjith; Kaliyappan, Karthikeyan; Ramasamy, Hari Vignesh; Sun, Xueliang; Lee, Yun-Sung

    2017-07-10

    Electrochemical supercapacitors with high energy density are promising devices due to their simple construction and long-term cycling performance. The development of a supercapacitor based on electrical double-layer charge storage with high energy density that can preserve its cyclability at higher power presents an ongoing challenge. Herein, we provide insights to achieve a high energy density at high power with an ultrahigh stability in an electrical double-layer capacitor (EDLC) system by using carbon from a biomass precursor (cinnamon sticks) in a sodium ion-based organic electrolyte. Herein, we investigated the dependence of EDLC performance on structural, textural, and functional properties of porous carbon engineered by using various activation agents. The results demonstrate that the performance of EDLCs is not only dependent on their textural properties but also on their structural features and surface functionalities, as is evident from the electrochemical studies. The electrochemical results are highly promising and revealed that the porous carbon with poor textural properties has great potential to deliver high capacitance and outstanding stability over 300 000 cycles compared with porous carbon with good textural properties. A very low capacitance degradation of around 0.066 % per 1000 cycles, along with high energy density (≈71 Wh kg -1 ) and high power density, have been achieved. These results offer a new platform for the application of low-surface-area biomass-derived carbons in the design of highly stable high-energy supercapacitors. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  14. Enhanced electrochemical performance of porous activated carbon by forming composite with graphene as high-performance supercapacitor electrode material

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, Zhi-Hang; Yang, Jia-Ying [Central South University, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Efficient and Clean Utilization of Manganese Resources (China); Wu, Xiong-Wei [Hunan Agricultural University, College of Science (China); Chen, Xiao-Qing; Yu, Jin-Gang, E-mail: yujg@csu.edu.cn [Central South University, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Efficient and Clean Utilization of Manganese Resources (China); Wu, Yu-Ping, E-mail: wuyp@fudan.edu.cn [Fudan University, New Energy and Materials Laboratory (NEML), Department of Chemistry and Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Catalysis and Innovative Materials (China)

    2017-02-15

    In this work, a novel activated carbon containing graphene composite was developed using a fast, simple, and green ultrasonic-assisted method. Graphene is more likely a framework which provides support for activated carbon (AC) particles to form hierarchical microstructure of carbon composite. Scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area measurement, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Raman spectra analysis, XRD, and XPS were used to analyze the morphology and surface structure of the composite. The electrochemical properties of the supercapacitor electrode based on the as-prepared carbon composite were investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), charge/discharge, and cycling performance measurements. It exhibited better electrochemical performance including higher specific capacitance (284 F g{sup −1} at a current density of 0.5 A g{sup −1}), better rate behavior (70.7% retention), and more stable cycling performance (no capacitance fading even after 2000 cycles). It is easier for us to find that the composite produced by our method was superior to pristine AC in terms of electrochemical performance due to the unique conductive network between graphene and AC.

  15. Enhanced electrochemical performance of porous activated carbon by forming composite with graphene as high-performance supercapacitor electrode material

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Zhi-Hang; Yang, Jia-Ying; Wu, Xiong-Wei; Chen, Xiao-Qing; Yu, Jin-Gang; Wu, Yu-Ping

    2017-01-01

    In this work, a novel activated carbon containing graphene composite was developed using a fast, simple, and green ultrasonic-assisted method. Graphene is more likely a framework which provides support for activated carbon (AC) particles to form hierarchical microstructure of carbon composite. Scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area measurement, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Raman spectra analysis, XRD, and XPS were used to analyze the morphology and surface structure of the composite. The electrochemical properties of the supercapacitor electrode based on the as-prepared carbon composite were investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), charge/discharge, and cycling performance measurements. It exhibited better electrochemical performance including higher specific capacitance (284 F g"−"1 at a current density of 0.5 A g"−"1), better rate behavior (70.7% retention), and more stable cycling performance (no capacitance fading even after 2000 cycles). It is easier for us to find that the composite produced by our method was superior to pristine AC in terms of electrochemical performance due to the unique conductive network between graphene and AC.

  16. Effect of pore structure on the activated carbon's capability to sorb airborne methylradioiodine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Juhola, A.J.; Friel, J.V.

    1979-01-01

    A study was conducted to determine the effect pore structure of activated carbons has on their capabiity to sorp airborne methylradioiodine. Six de-ashed carbons of very diverse pore structure were selected for study. Batches of each were impregnated with (1) 4.3% I 2 , (2) 5.6% KI, (3) 2% KI, (4) 3% KI to 2% I 2 , (5) 2% I 2 , and (6) 3.4% KIO 3 . Some carbon was reserved for testing without impregnant. Standard procedures at ambient temperature and pressure were followed in the methyliodide testing, with some changes only made to meet the requirements of the specialized study. The surface area of the open-pore volume, for KI impregnated carbons, determined the sorptive efficiency. This relationship is expressed by the equation ln p = ln a - ks, where p is the fraction of methyliodide penetrating the bed and s the surface area. The quantity (a) is associated with the macropore properties, and deterines the capability of the carbon to sorb at very high humidites (> 95% RH). Constant k is to a large degree dependent on the mean diameter of the micropores. Elemental iodine impregnated carbons were considerably less effective than those impregnated with KI, and their sorptive of methyliodide did not follow the above equation. Their activity could be increased by a second impregnation with KOH. KI impregnated carbons lost their activity when treated with HCl on converting the Ki to I 2 . The conversion of KI to I 2 by acid gases in nuclear power plants offers an explanation for the cause of carbon aging

  17. Porous carbon nanosheets from coal tar for high-performance supercapacitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Xiaojun; Ma, Hao; Wang, Jingxian; Xie, Yuanyang; Xiao, Nan; Qiu, Jieshan

    2017-07-01

    A hydroxide-template strategy coupled with in-situ chemical activation is reported for the first time to fabricate porous carbon nanosheets (PCNSs) from coal tar. The thin PCNSs feature abundant short pores accessible for fast ion transport and high specific surface area up to 3235 m2 g-1 for ion adsorption. As electrodes for supercapacitors, the PCNSs show a high capacitance of 296.2 F g-1 at 0.05 A g-1 in 6 M KOH electrolyte, an excellent rate performance with a capacitance of 220.7 F g-1 at 20 A g-1 and a superior cycle stability with over 97.2% capacitance retention after 11000 charge-discharge cycles at 3.5 A g-1. This work paves a new way for efficient fabrication of sheet-like carbon materials with tuned porous structure from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons for high performance supercapacitors.

  18. Waste Composite Sensor Designed by Cellulose and Activated Carbon as Ethylene Absorber

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. Ummartyotin

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Activated carbon was successfully derived from scrap tile waste from thermochemical conversion. Chemical and physical modifications were therefore employed to modify the specific surface area and porosity of activated carbon. Cellulose was successfully extracted from palm front. Designation of waste composite was prepared by cellulose and activated carbon. Less than 30 wt% of activated carbon was integrated into cellulose sheet matrix. It was important to note that there is no change in mechanical and morphological properties. Small amount of activated carbon was well dispersed. In order to investigate the feasibility of composite as active packaging, oxygen permeation rate and ethylene gas adsorption ability were preliminary investigated.

  19. Measurement of the activity coefficient of carbon in steels in liquid sodium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Surville, G.

    1983-06-01

    In sodium cooled fast reactors carbon is both a carbon impurity and element of structural materials. Carbon transfert through liquid sodium can produce carburization or decarburization of structural materials. Carbon content in sodium is determined with thin foils of austenitic alloys, when equilibrium is reached thermodynamic activity of carbon in sodium is deduced from carbon activity in alloys. Studied alloys are FeMn 20%, FeNi 30%, Z2CN 18-10 and Z3CND17-13. Carbon activity of alloys in sodium was between 5.10 -3 and 10 -1 at 600 and 650 0 C. Calibration was obtained with the alloys FeNi 30% in gaseous mixtures He-CO-CO 2 of known activity [fr

  20. Obtention and characterization of activated carbons from seeds of Macuna sp

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vargas, Jaime E; Giraldo, Liliana; Moreno, Juan C

    2008-01-01

    A series of activated carbons from a lignocellulosic material is obtained by a physical activation with water vapor. Mucuna sp is the scientific name of the seed used as a lignoocellulosic precursor. In this work the seeds are crushed and sieved before carbonizing them to obtain granular activated carbon. The effect of temperature (600-900 Celsius degrade) and time of activation (1-10 h) was studied as well as the relationship with the textural properties of the carbon. The activated carbons obtained with different percentages of Burn-off were characterized by physical adsorption of N 2 at 77K. We evaluated the ability of an adsorption in solution of the activated carbons by iodine index and the methylene blue index. We found a correlation between burn-off and the apparent surface area calculated by the BET method with values close to 1000 m 2 g -1 as well as microspore volumes between 0.060 and 0.400 cm 3 g -1 calculated by the DR method and the method alpha. The adsorption capacity in solution gives good results, because the results show good correlation with the porosity data. This is very important when determining the possible applications of the activated carbons

  1. Kinetics and equilibrium models for the sorption of tributyltin to nZnO, activated carbon and nZnO/activated carbon composite in artificial seawater

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ayanda, Olushola S.; Fatoki, Olalekan S.; Adekola, Folahan A.; Ximba, Bhekumusa J.

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: • Removal of tributyltin from artificial seawater using nZnO/activated carbon and its precursors was studied. • Detailed equilibrium and kinetic studies were reported. • Adsorption conditions were optimized and applied to natural seawater. • Higher removal efficiency of TBT was obtained for the composite and activated carbon except nZnO. • TBT concentration was determine by GC-FPD following derivatization. -- Abstract: The removal of tributyltin (TBT) from artificial seawater using nZnO, activated carbon and nZnO/activated carbon composite was systematically studied. The equilibrium and kinetics of adsorption were investigated in a batch adsorption system. Equilibrium adsorption data were analyzed using Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin and Dubinin–Radushkevich (D–R) isotherm models. Pseudo first- and second-order, Elovich, fractional power and intraparticle diffusion models were applied to test the kinetic data. Thermodynamic parameters such as ΔG°, ΔS° and ΔH° were also calculated to understand the mechanisms of adsorption. Optimal conditions for the adsorption of TBT from artificial seawater were then applied to TBT removal from natural seawater. A higher removal efficiency of TBT (>99%) was obtained for the nZnO/activated carbon composite material and for activated carbon but not for nZnO

  2. Preparation of activated carbon from a renewable agricultural ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    STORAGESEVER

    2010-05-10

    May 10, 2010 ... good and cheap agricultural residue for the production of activated carbon, with carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen ... fuel-wood because household energy requirements are met with ..... Thin layer solar drying and mathematical.

  3. Gemini Surfactant-Modified Activated Carbon for Remediation of Hexavalent Chromium from Water

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yingying Zhou

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Gemini surfactants, with double hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups, offer potentially orders of magnitude greater surface activity compared to similar single unit molecules. A cationic Gemini surfactant (Propyl didodecyldimethylammonium Bromide, PDDDAB and a conventional cationic surfactant (Dodecyltrimethylammonium Bromide, DTAB were used to pre-treat and generate activated carbon. The removal efficiency of the surfactant-modified activated carbon through adsorption of chromium(VI was investigated under controlled laboratory conditions. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR and scanning electron microscopy (SEM were used to investigate the surface changes of surfactant-modified activated carbon. The effect of important parameters such as adsorbent dosage, pH, ionic strength and contact time were also investigated. The chromium(VI was adsorbed more significantly on the Gemini surfactant-modified activated carbon than on the conventional surfactant-modified activated carbon. The correlation coefficients show the data best fit the Freundlich model, which confirms the monolayer adsorption of chromium(VI onto Gemini surfactant-modified activated carbon. From this assessment, the surfactant-modified (especially Gemini surfactant-modified activated carbon in this study showed promise for practical applications to treat water pollution.

  4. Activated carbon as a pseudo-reference electrode for potentiometric sensing inside concrete

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Abbas, Yawar; Pargar, Farhad; Olthuis, Wouter; van den Berg, Albert

    2014-01-01

    The half-cell potential of the Activated carbon (AC), due to its high double layer capacitance (EDL), remains stable in high ionic electrolyte. The open circuit potential (OCV) of the AC, with EDL of 40 – 50 F, shows a stable potential (10 mV variation) over two weeks in the cement pore solution

  5. Activated Carbon as a Pseudo-reference Electrode for Potentiometric Sensing Inside Concrete

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Abbas, Y.; Pargar, F.; Olthuis, W.; Van den Berg, A.

    2014-01-01

    The half-cell potential of the Activated carbon (AC), due to its high double layer capacitance (EDL), remains stable in high ionic electrolyte. The open circuit potential (OCV) of the AC, with EDL of 40 – 50 F, shows a stable potential (10 mV variation) over two weeks in the cement pore solution

  6. Batch sorption dynamics and equilibrium for the removal of lead ions from aqueous phase using activated carbon developed from coffee residue activated with zinc chloride.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boudrahem, F; Aissani-Benissad, F; Aït-Amar, H

    2009-07-01

    Lignocellulosic materials are good precursors for the production of activated carbon. In this work, coffee residue has been used as raw material in the preparation of powder activated carbon by the method of chemical activation with zinc chloride for the sorption of Pb(II) from dilute aqueous solutions. The influence of impregnation ratio (ZnCl2/coffee residue) on the physical and chemical properties of the prepared carbons was studied in order to optimize this parameter. The optimum experimental condition for preparing predominantly microporous activated carbons with high pore surface area (890 m2/g) and micropore volume (0.772 cm3/g) is an impregnation ratio of 100%. The developed activated carbon shows substantial capability to sorb lead(II) ions from aqueous solutions and for relative impregnation ratios of 75 and 100%, the maximum uptake is practically the same. Thus, 75% represents the optimal impregnation ratio. Batch experiments were conducted to study the effects of the main parameters such as contact time, initial concentration of Pb(II), solution pH, ionic strength and temperature. The maximum uptake of lead(II) at 25 degrees C was about 63 mg/g of adsorbent at pH 5.8, initial Pb(II) concentration of 10 mg/L, agitation speed of 200 rpm and ionic strength of 0.005 M. The kinetic data were fitted to the models of pseudo-first order and pseudo-second order, and follow closely the pseudo-second order model. Equilibrium sorption isotherms of Pb(II) were analyzed by the Langmuir, Freundlich and Temkin isotherm models. The Freundlich model gives a better fit than the others. Results from this study suggest that activated carbon produced from coffee residue is an effective adsorbent for the removal of lead from aqueous solutions and that ZnCl2 is a suitable activating agent for the preparation of high-porosity carbons.

  7. Ozonation of Cephalexin Antibiotic Using Granular Activated Carbon in a Circulating Reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Amin, N. S.; Akhtar, J.

    2015-01-01

    A circulating reactor was used to decompose cephalexin during catalytic ozonation. The effect of ozone supply and granular activated carbon (GAC) catalyst was investigated for removal of CEX and COD. The regeneration of exhausted activated carbon was investigated during in-situ ozonation. According to results, ozone supply appeared as the most influencing variable followed by dosage of granular activated carbon. The BET surface area, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and temperature programmed desorption (TPD) curves indicated that solid phase regeneration of activated carbon using ozone gas followed by mild thermal decomposition was very effective. The adsorption capacity of regenerated activated carbon was slightly lower than virgin activated carbon. The overall study revealed that catalytic ozonation was effective in removing cephalexin from solution and the method can be applied for in-situ ozonation processes. (author)

  8. TiO2-Containing Carbon Derived from a Metal-Organic Framework Composite: A Highly Active Catalyst for Oxidative Desulfurization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhadra, Biswa Nath; Song, Ji Yoon; Khan, Nazmul Abedin; Jhung, Sung Hwa

    2017-09-13

    A new metal-organic framework (MOF) composite consisting of Ti- and Zn-based MOFs (ZIF-8(x)@H 2 N-MIL-125; in brief, ZIF(x)@MOF) was designed and synthesized. The pristine MOF [H 2 N-MIL-125 (MOF)]- and an MOF-composite [ZIF(30)@MOF]-derived mesoporous carbons consisting of TiO 2 nanoparticles were prepared by pyrolysis (named MDC-P and MDC-C, respectively). MDC-C showed a higher surface area, larger pore sizes, and larger mesopore volumes than MDC-P. In addition, the TiO 2 nanoparticles on MDC-C have more uniform shapes and sizes and are smaller than those of MDC-P. The obtained MDC-C and MDC-P [together with MOF, ZIF(30)@MOF, pure/nanocrystalline TiO 2 , and activated carbon] were applied in the oxidative desulfurization reaction of dibenzothiophene in a model fuel. The MDC-C, even with a lower TiO 2 content than that of MDC-P, showed an outstanding catalytic performance, especially with a very low catalyst dose (i.e., a very high quantity of dibenzothiophene was converted per unit weight of the catalyst), fast kinetics (∼3 times faster than that for MDC-P), and a low activation energy (lower than that for any reported catalyst) for the oxidation of dibenzothiophene. The large mesopores of MDC-C and the well-dispersed/small TiO 2 might be the dominant factors for the superior catalytic conversions. The oxidative desulfurization of other sulfur-containing organic compounds with various electron densities was also studied with MDC-C to understand the mechanism of catalysis. Moreover, the MDC-C catalyst can be reused many times in the oxidative desulfurization reaction after a simple washing with acetone. Finally, composing MOFs and subsequent pyrolysis is suggested as an effective way to prepare a catalyst with well-dispersed active sites, large pores, and high mesoporosity.

  9. Conclusions from fire tests in activated carbon filled adsorbers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mathewes, W.

    1987-01-01

    Activated carbons as used in gas-phase adsorption may be subjected to heating, either from heat applied externally to the carbon bed, or heat generated by radioactive contaminants, or by the adsorption process itself. This report presents results of artificially ignited beds of activated carbon. This report also considers results concerning the self-ignition of non-contaminated carbon and such of solvent-contaminated carbon subjected to external heating in beds with an air flow and in beds without an air flow. An estimation is given for the heat generation caused by radioactive contaminants as well as by the adsorption process. Studies of handling of endangered components and studies of alarm indicating systems give guidance for the contemporary lay-out and design

  10. NiFe{sub 2}O{sub 4}/activated carbon nanocomposite as magnetic material from petcoke

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Briceño, Sarah, E-mail: sbriceno@ivic.gob.ve [Laboratorio de Física de la Materia Condensada, Centro de Física, Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas IVIC, Apartado 20632, Caracas 1020-A (Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of); Brämer-Escamilla, W., E-mail: wbramer@ivic.gob.ve [Laboratorio de Física de la Materia Condensada, Centro de Física, Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas IVIC, Apartado 20632, Caracas 1020-A (Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of); Silva, P. [Laboratorio de Física de la Materia Condensada, Centro de Física, Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas IVIC, Apartado 20632, Caracas 1020-A (Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of); García, J.; Del Castillo, H.; Villarroel, M. [Laboratorio de Cinética y Catálisis, Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Los Andes ULA, Mérida 5101-A (Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of); Rodriguez, J.P. [Laboratorio de Microscopia Electrónica. Instituto de Estudios Científicos y Tecnológicos IDECYT. Apartado 47925 - Caracas 1041-A (Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of); Ramos, M.A.; Morales, R. [Instituto Zuliano de Investigaciones Tecnológicas INZIT. Apdo. Postal 331. La Cañada-Maracaibo (Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of); Diaz, Y. [Centro de Química, Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas IVIC, Apartado 20632, Caracas 1020-A (Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of)

    2014-06-01

    Nickel ferrite (NiFe{sub 2}O{sub 4}) was supported on activated carbon (AC) from petroleum coke (petcoke). Potassium hydroxide (KOH) was employed with petcoke to produce activated carbon. NiFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} were synthesized using PEG-Oleic acid assisted hydrothermal method. The structural and magnetic properties were determined using thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis (TGA–DTA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared (IR-FT), surface area (BET), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM). XRD analysis revealed the cubic spinel structure and ferrite phase with high crystallinity. IR-FT studies showed that chemical modification promoted the formation of surface oxygen functionalities. Morphological investigation by SEM showed conglomerates of spherical nanoparticles with an average particle size of 72 nm and TEM showed the formation of NiFe{sub 2}O{sub 4}/carbon nanofibers. Chemical modification and activation temperature of 800 °C prior to activation dramatically increased the BET surface area of the resulting activated carbon to 842.4 m{sup 2}/g while the sulfur content was reduced from 6 to 1%. Magnetic properties of nanoparticles show strong dependence on the particle size. - Highlights: • TEM showed the formation of NiFe{sub 2}O{sub 4}/carbon nanofibers. • Nanoparticles were supported on the activated carbon from petcoke. • Activation dramatically increased the BET surface area to 842 m{sup 2}/g. • Magnetic properties show strong dependence on the particle size. • Sulphur content was reduced from 6 to 1% with the petcoke activation.

  11. Digested sludge-derived three-dimensional hierarchical porous carbon for high-performance supercapacitor electrode

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Jia-Jia; Fan, Hao-Xiang; Dai, Xiao-Hu; Yuan, Shi-Jie

    2018-04-01

    Digested sludge, as the main by-product of the sewage sludge anaerobic digestion process, still contains considerable organic compounds. In this protocol, we report a facile method for preparing digested sludge-derived self-doped porous carbon material for high-performance supercapacitor electrodes via a sustainable pyrolysis/activation process. The obtained digested sludge-derived carbon material (HPDSC) exhibits versatile O-, N-doped hierarchical porous framework, high specific surface area (2103.6 m2 g-1) and partial graphitization phase, which can facilitate ion transport, provide more storage sites for electrolyte ions and enhance the conductivity of active electrode materials. The HPDSC-based supercapacitor electrodes show favourable energy storage performance, with a specific capacitance of 245 F g-1 at 1.0 A g-1 in 0.5 M Na2SO4; outstanding cycling stability, with 98.4% capacitance retention after 2000 cycles; and good rate performance (211 F g-1 at 11 A g-1). This work provides a unique self-doped three-dimensional hierarchical porous carbon material with a favourable charge storage capacity and at the same time finds a high value-added and environment-friendly strategy for disposal and recycling of digested sludge.

  12. A Novel Activated-Charcoal-Doped Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube Hybrid for Quasi-Solid-State Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell Outperforming Pt Electrode.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arbab, Alvira Ayoub; Sun, Kyung Chul; Sahito, Iftikhar Ali; Qadir, Muhammad Bilal; Choi, Yun Seon; Jeong, Sung Hoon

    2016-03-23

    Highly conductive mesoporous carbon structures based on multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and activated charcoal (AC) were synthesized by an enzymatic dispersion method. The synthesized carbon configuration consists of synchronized structures of highly conductive MWCNT and porous activated charcoal morphology. The proposed carbon structure was used as counter electrode (CE) for quasi-solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The AC-doped MWCNT hybrid showed much enhanced electrocatalytic activity (ECA) toward polymer gel electrolyte and revealed a charge transfer resistance (RCT) of 0.60 Ω, demonstrating a fast electron transport mechanism. The exceptional electrocatalytic activity and high conductivity of the AC-doped MWCNT hybrid CE are associated with its synchronized features of high surface area and electronic conductivity, which produces higher interfacial reaction with the quasi-solid electrolyte. Morphological studies confirm the forms of amorphous and conductive 3D carbon structure with high density of CNT colloid. The excessive oxygen surface groups and defect-rich structure can entrap an excessive volume of quasi-solid electrolyte and locate multiple sites for iodide/triiodide catalytic reaction. The resultant D719 DSSC composed of this novel hybrid CE fabricated with polymer gel electrolyte demonstrated an efficiency of 10.05% with a high fill factor (83%), outperforming the Pt electrode. Such facile synthesis of CE together with low cost and sustainability supports the proposed DSSCs' structure to stand out as an efficient next-generation photovoltaic device.

  13. Granular activated carbons from broiler manure: physical, chemical and adsorptive properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lima, Isabel M; Marshall, Wayne E

    2005-04-01

    Broiler manure produced at large concentrated facilities poses risks to the quality of water and public health. This study utilizes broiler litter and cake as source materials for granular activated carbon production and optimizes conditions for their production. Pelletized manure samples were pyrolyzed at 700 degrees C for 1 h followed by activation in an inert atmosphere under steam at different water flow rates, for a period ranging from 15 to 75 min. Carbon physical and adsorptive properties were dependent on activation time and quantity of steam used as activant, yields varied from 18% to 28%, surface area varied from 253 to 548 m2/g and copper ion adsorption varied from 0.13 to 1.92 mmol Cu2+/g carbon. Best overall performing carbons were steam activated for 45 min at 3 ml/min. Comparative studies with commercial carbons revealed the broiler cake-based carbon as having the highest copper ion efficiency.

  14. Influence of nitrogen surface functionalities on the catalytic activity of activated carbon in low temperature SCR of NO{sub x} with NH{sub 3}

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Szymanski, Grzegorz S. [Faculty of Chemistry, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Gagarina 7, 87-100 Torun (Poland); Grzybek, Teresa [Faculty of Fuels and Energy, AGH, University of Science and Technology, Al. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Krakow (Poland); Papp, Helmut [Faculty of Chemistry and Mineralogy, Institute of Technical Chemistry, University of Leipzig, Linnerstrasse 3, 04103 Leipzig (Germany)

    2004-06-15

    The reduction of nitrogen oxide with ammonia was studied using carbon catalysts with chemically modified surfaces. Carbon samples with different surface chemistry were obtained from commercial activated carbon D43/1 (CarboTech, Essen, Germany) by chemical modification involving oxidation with conc. nitric acid (DOx) (1); high temperature treatment (=1000K) under vacuum (DHT) (2); or in ammonia (DHTN, DOxN) (3). Additionally, a portion of the DOx sample was promoted with iron(III) ions (DOxFe). The catalytic tests were performed in a microreactor at a temperature range of 413-573K. The carbon sample annealed under vacuum (DHT) showed the lowest activity. The formation of surface acidic surface oxides by nitric acid treatment (DOx) enhanced the catalytic activity only slightly. However, as can be expected, subsequent promotion of the DOx sample with iron(III) ions increased drastically its catalytic activity. However, this was accompanied by some loss of selectivity, i.e. formation of N{sub 2}O as side product. This effect can be avoided using ammonia-treated carbons which demonstrated reasonable activity with simultaneous high selectivity. The most active and selective among them was the sample that was first oxidized with nitric acid and then heated in an ammonia stream (DOxN). A correlation between catalytic activity and surface nitrogen content was observed. Surface nitrogen species seem to play an important role in catalytic selective reduction of nitrogen oxide with ammonia, possibly facilitating NO{sub 2} formation (a reaction intermediate) as a result of easier chemisorption of oxygen and nitrogen oxide.

  15. Thermal Oxidation of a Carbon Condensate Formed in High-Frequency Carbon and Carbon-Nickel Plasma Flow

    Science.gov (United States)

    Churilov, G. N.; Nikolaev, N. S.; Cherepakhin, A. V.; Dudnik, A. I.; Tomashevich, E. V.; Trenikhin, M. V.; Bulina, N. G.

    2018-02-01

    We have reported on the comparative characteristics of thermal oxidation of a carbon condensate prepared by high-frequency arc evaporation of graphite rods and a rod with a hollow center filled with nickel powder. In the latter case, along with different forms of nanodisperse carbon, nickel particles with nickel core-carbon shell structures are formed. It has been found that the processes of the thermal oxidation of carbon condensates with and without nickel differ significantly. Nickel particles with the carbon shell exhibit catalytic properties with respect to the oxidation of nanosized carbon structures. A noticeable difference between the temperatures of the end of the oxidation process for various carbon nanoparticles and nickel particles with the carbon shell has been established. The study is aimed at investigations of the effect of nickel nanoparticles on the dynamics of carbon condensate oxidation upon heating in the argon-oxygen flow.

  16. Binding of nickel and zinc ions with activated carbon prepared from ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Activated carbon was prepared from sugar cane fibre by carbonizing at 500 oC for 30 minutes. This was followed by activation with ammonium chloride. The activated carbon was characterised in terms of pH, bulk density, ash content, surface area and surface charge. Equilibrium sorption of nickel and zinc ions by the ...

  17. Au nanoparticles attached carbon nanotubes as a high performance active element in field effect transistor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Myeongsoon; Kim, Don, E-mail: donkim@pknu.ac.kr

    2016-08-15

    The Au nanoparticles attached carbon nanotubes (Au-CNTs), diameter ranged from 40 to 250 nm, were prepared and discussed their chemical and electrical properties. The shape and crystallinity of the carbon nanotubes (CNTs) phase depended main2ly on the diameter of CNTs (r{sub Au-CNT}). Highly crystalline, straight CNTs were observed when the r{sub Au-CNT} exceeded 80 nm, and less crystalline noodle-shaped CNTs were observed when the r{sub Au-CNT} was smaller than 80 nm. The crystallinity of the CNT phase was confirmed by analyzing the G and D bands in their Raman spectra and the electrical conductivities of the Au-CNTs. The electrical conductivity of the highly crystalline carbon phase of Au-CNTs (r{sub Au-CNT} = 250 nm) was ∼10{sup 4} S/cm. The back-gated field effect transistors (FETs) based on the Au-CNTs, which were assembled on a SiO{sub 2}/Si wafer using the dielectrophoresis technique, showed that the Au-CNTs would be a good functional electronic material for future electronic and sensing applications. The transconductance and hole mobility of the FETs, which were assembled with the highly crystalline Au-CNTs (r{sub Au-CNT} = 250 nm), reached to 3.6 × 10{sup −4} A/V and 3.1 × 10{sup 4} cm{sup 2}/V s, respectively. These values are in the middle of those of reported for single walled carbon nanotubes and graphene. However, we could not find any field effect in a CNTFET, which assembled without Au nanoparticles, through the same process. - Highlights: • The shape and crystallinity of the CNTs depended mainly on the diameter of CNTs. • The electrical conductivity of the highly crystalline Au-CNTs was ∼10{sup 4} S/cm. • The Au-CNT FET shows typical p-channel gate effect with the on/off ratio of ∼10{sup 4}. • The Au-CNT FET shows very high transconductance (g{sub m}) and carrier mobility (μ{sub h}).

  18. Au nanoparticles attached carbon nanotubes as a high performance active element in field effect transistor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Myeongsoon; Kim, Don

    2016-01-01

    The Au nanoparticles attached carbon nanotubes (Au-CNTs), diameter ranged from 40 to 250 nm, were prepared and discussed their chemical and electrical properties. The shape and crystallinity of the carbon nanotubes (CNTs) phase depended main2ly on the diameter of CNTs (r_A_u_-_C_N_T). Highly crystalline, straight CNTs were observed when the r_A_u_-_C_N_T exceeded 80 nm, and less crystalline noodle-shaped CNTs were observed when the r_A_u_-_C_N_T was smaller than 80 nm. The crystallinity of the CNT phase was confirmed by analyzing the G and D bands in their Raman spectra and the electrical conductivities of the Au-CNTs. The electrical conductivity of the highly crystalline carbon phase of Au-CNTs (r_A_u_-_C_N_T = 250 nm) was ∼10"4 S/cm. The back-gated field effect transistors (FETs) based on the Au-CNTs, which were assembled on a SiO_2/Si wafer using the dielectrophoresis technique, showed that the Au-CNTs would be a good functional electronic material for future electronic and sensing applications. The transconductance and hole mobility of the FETs, which were assembled with the highly crystalline Au-CNTs (r_A_u_-_C_N_T = 250 nm), reached to 3.6 × 10"−"4 A/V and 3.1 × 10"4 cm"2/V s, respectively. These values are in the middle of those of reported for single walled carbon nanotubes and graphene. However, we could not find any field effect in a CNTFET, which assembled without Au nanoparticles, through the same process. - Highlights: • The shape and crystallinity of the CNTs depended mainly on the diameter of CNTs. • The electrical conductivity of the highly crystalline Au-CNTs was ∼10"4 S/cm. • The Au-CNT FET shows typical p-channel gate effect with the on/off ratio of ∼10"4. • The Au-CNT FET shows very high transconductance (g_m) and carrier mobility (μ_h).

  19. Supercapacitor Electrode Based on Activated Carbon Wool Felt

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana Claudia Pina

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available An electrical double-layer capacitor (EDLC is based on the physical adsorption/desorption of electrolyte ions onto the surface of electrodes. Due to its high surface area and other properties, such as electrochemical stability and high electrical conductivity, carbon materials are the most widely used materials for EDLC electrodes. In this work, we study an activated carbon felt obtained from sheep wool felt (ACF’f as a supercapacitor electrode. The ACF’f was characterized by elemental analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM, textural analysis, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS. The electrochemical behaviour of the ACF’f was tested in a two-electrode Swagelok®-type, using acidic and basic aqueous electrolytes. At low current densities, the maximum specific capacitance determined from the charge-discharge curves were 163 F·g−1 and 152 F·g−1, in acidic and basic electrolytes, respectively. The capacitance retention at higher current densities was better in acidic electrolyte while, for both electrolytes, the voltammogram of the sample presents a typical capacitive behaviour, being in accordance with the electrochemical results.

  20. Cubic martensite in high carbon steel

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Yulin; Xiao, Wenlong; Jiao, Kun; Ping, Dehai; Xu, Huibin; Zhao, Xinqing; Wang, Yunzhi

    2018-05-01

    A distinguished structural characteristic of martensite in Fe-C steels is its tetragonality originating from carbon atoms occupying only one set of the three available octahedral interstitial sites in the body-centered-cubic (bcc) Fe lattice. Such a body-centered-tetragonal (bct) structure is believed to be thermodynamically stable because of elastic interactions between the interstitial carbon atoms. For such phase stability, however, there has been a lack of direct experimental evidence despite extensive studies of phase transformations in steels over one century. In this Rapid Communication, we report that the martensite formed in a high carbon Fe-8Ni-1.26C (wt%) steel at room temperature induced by applied stress/strain has actually a bcc rather than a bct crystal structure. This finding not only challenges the existing theories on the stability of bcc vs bct martensite in high carbon steels, but also provides insights into the mechanism for martensitic transformation in ferrous alloys.