Preparation and Characterization of Activated Carbons from Bitter Kola (Garcinia kola) Nut Shells by Chemical Activation Method Using H3PO4; KOH and ZnCl2

Kinetic, Isotherm and Thermodynamic Studies of the Adsorption of Thymol Blue onto Powdered Activated Carbons from <i>Garcinia cola Nut</i> Shells Impregnated with H<sub>3</sub>PO<sub>4</sub> and KOH: Non-Linear Regression Analysis

“…The results obtained by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), power X-ray diffraction (XRD) had been presented in our former work, Idris-Hermann et al [17].…”

“…Many activated carbons have been produced from various carbonaceous materials resulting from agricultural wastes such as coconut shells [9], cola nut shells [13], rice and coffee husks [14], Ayous sawdust and Cucurbitaceous peelings [15], hibiscus sabdariffa and stalk biomass [16]. In this work, we will prepare ACs using shells of Garcinia cola (bitter cola) nuts [17], due to the availability and cost free of the material as well as its high carbon content. However, little or no work has been reported on the production of activated carbons using the garcinia cola nut shells.…”

“…The AC CBH 2/1 was prepared by activating garcinia cola nut shells with H 3 PO 4 in a ratio 2/1, while CBK 1/1 was prepared by activating with KOH in a ratio 1/1. The chemical activation was followed by calcination in a furnace set at 400˚C for 1 hour and a heating rate of 5 ˚C•min −1 as described by Idris-Hermann et al [17].…”

“…where V m is the volume occupied by a monolayer, N A is the Avogadro constant 6.023 × 10 23 mol −1 , σ is the surface occupied by the N 2 molecule (16.2 Å 2 ); m is the mass of the sample (g) and V M is the molar volume of N 2 (22414 cm 3 •mol −1 ). In our earlier work, Idris-Hermann et al [17], the different ACs had been characterized by proximate analysis, bulk density, pH of zero point charge (pH zpc ), methylene blue number, iodine number, surface functional groups, Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and power X-ray diffraction (XRD).…”

“…< pH PZC . The pH at the point of zero chage, pH PZC was obtained for the two ACs as 7.751 for CBH 2/1 and 8.324 for CBK 1/1[17]. When the pH increases, the capacity of adsorption decreases from 14.809 to 3.684 mg•g −1 and 15.476 to 2.514 mg•g −1 for CBH 2/1 and CBK 1/1 respectively.…”