Cleaner production of carbon adsorbents by utilizing agricultural waste corn cob

Abstract

In the present study, the porous carbon products from agricultural waste corn cob were manufactured by using the combined activation methods. Under the experimental conditions in the activation temperature ranges of 500-800°C with less pollution characteristics of potassium hydroxide/potassium carbonate (KOH/K 2 CO 3) as chemical agents and subsequent gasification (i.e. physical activation) at the soaking time of 1 h, the influence of activation temperature on the final products was studied by examining their physical characterizations such as BET surface area, total pore volume and true density. The experimental results show that an elevated temperature is favorable for producing carbon products with high surface area and total pore volume. Also, the values of the true density and the porosity increase with increase in the activation temperature. Comparing the results of physical characterizations of the carbon products with those of commercial activated carbons indicates that the activated carbons prepared from agricultural waste corn cob by using a cleaner process is an available route for the biomass utilization and bioresource recycling. The high-surface-area carbon products thus obtained are very promising adsorbents for pollution control and for other applications.

Availability and Physical Properties of Residues From Major Agricultural Crops for Energy Conversion Through Thermochemical Processes

“…The porosity of the wheat straw is within the range of 25.06-62.75% presented by Chevanan et al (2010). The porosity of the corn stalk is within the range of 33-68% (computed from the true density and particle density) presented by Tsai et al (2001). The porosity of the sugarcane stalk is within the range of 65-78% presented by Membrillo et al (2011).…”

Waste biomass as sources for activated carbon production-A review

“…Rice husk, corn cob, oak, corn hulls, corn stover, rice straw, rice hulls, pecan shells, peanut hulls and almond shells (Haykiri-Acma et al, 2005), (Ahmedna et al, 2000), (Marcilla et al, 2000), (Zhang et al, 2004), (Girgis et al, 2002), (Lua et al, 2004), (Yang and Lua, 2003), (ElHendawy et al, 2001), (Malik, 2003), (Yalcin and Sevinc, 2000) and (Oh and Park, 2002), were the raw materials studied by this method. Carbonization temperature range between 400 and 850 o C, and sometimes reaches 1000 o C, and activation temperature range between 600 and 900 o C. (Ahmedna et al, 2000), (Marcilla et al, 2000), (Zhang et al, 2004), (Girgis et al, 2002), (Lua et al, 2004), (Yang and Lua, 2003), (El-Hendawy et al, 2001), (Malik, 2003), (Oh and Park, 2002) and (Bacaoui et al, 2001) (Tsai et al, 1997), (Aygun et al, 2003), (Girgis et al, 2002), (Ahmadroup and Do, 1997), (Ahmedna et al, 2004), (Tsai et al, 1998), (Tsai et al, 2001), (ElHendawy et al, 2001), (Yalcin and Sevinc, 2000), (Oh and Park, 2002), (Stavropoulos and Zabaniotou, 2005) and (Sudaryanto et al, 2006) , (Savova et al, 2001), (Minkova et al, 2001), (Minkova et al, 2000), (Girgis et al, 2002) and …”

“…However, a two-step process (an admixed method of physical and chemical processes) can be applied (Oh and Park, 2002), (Table V). (Malik, 2003) and (Mahanim et al, 2011) (Ahmedna et al, 2000), (Zhang et al, 2004), (Lua et al, 2004) and (Yang and Lua, 2003) (Marcilla et al, 2000) and (Girgis et al, 2002) Reference (Tsai et al, 1997), (Aygun et al, 2003), (Girgis et al, 2002), (Ahmadroup and Do, 1997), (Tsai et al, 1998) and (Yalcin and Sevinc, 2000) ( Girgis et al, 2002), (Ahmadroup and Do, 1997), (Tsai et al, 2001), (Oh and Park, 2002), (Stavropoulos and Zabaniotou, 2005) and (Sudaryanto et al, 2006) ( Girgis et al, 2002), (Ahmedna et al, 2004) …”

“…Chemical activation was used in most of the studies for corn cob, olive seeds, rice husks, rice straw, cassava peel, pecan shells, Macadamia nutshells, hazelnut shells, peanut hulls, apricot stones, almond shells (Tsai et al, 1997), (Aygun et al, 2003), (Girgis et al, 2002), (Ahmadroup and Do, 1997), (Ahmedna et al, 2004), (Tsai et al, 1998), (Tsai et al, 2001), (El-Hendawy et al, 2001), (Yalcin and Sevinc, 2000), (Oh and Park, 2002), (Stavropoulos and Zabaniotou, 2005) and (Sudaryanto et al, 2006). The most common chemical agents are ZnCl 2 , KOH, H 3 PO 4 and less K 2 CO 3 .…”

Sorption properties of activated carbons obtained from corn cobs by chemical and physical activation

“…To produce each 100 kg of corn, about 18 kg of cobs are obtained and they are usually treated as waste. There have been attempts of processing them into fertilisers, soil quality improving agents, bedding material for animals, a source of fibre in fodder and a source of energy in combustion (Tsai et al 2001). In recent years much interest has been paid to the use of corn cobs for production of activated carbon (Chang et al 2000;Sych et al 2012;Tsai et al 1998).…”