Methylene Blue Removal by Activated Carbon from Platanus Orientalis Leaves

Abstract

In this study, activated carbon was produced from platanus orientalis leaves and the adsorption of methylene blue onto activated carbon was investigated. Facile chemical activation route was conducted for activation process of lignocellulosic leaves. ZnCl 2 was used as an activating agent at different ratios. Morphological, structural properties and adsorption characteristics of samples were determined by using field emission scanning microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Braunauer-Emmet-Teller spectroscopy and UV-vis spectroscopy. Surface characterization showed that activation with ZnCl 2 resulted high surface area (~1024 m 2 g -1 ) and total pore volume (~0.431 cm 3 g -1 ) compared with crude carbonized leaves samples.