Characteristics of nitrogen-enriched activated carbon prepared from waste medium density fiberboard by potassium hydroxide

Abstract

Most waste of medium density fiberboard (MDF) is burnt, which could release toxic gases and pollutants to the environment. So, the re-using waste of MDF is highly desired. The nitrogen atoms of waste medium density fiberboard originate from urea–formaldehyde resin adhesive used in the manufacturing process, so nitrogen-enriched activated carbons could prepared easily. Nitrogen-enriched activated carbons were prepared from waste MDF by potassium hydroxide. The activation temperature was ranged from 600 to 900 °C, and the chemical agent/waste MDF varied from 1 to 5. Iodine number was used to evaluate the adsorption ability of waste MDF activated carbons. The pore properties including surface area, pore volume and pore size distribution were determined by N2 adsorption. The method of elemental analysis and XPS were used to estimate how nitrogen functional groups changed with different activation conditions. The results showed that the adsorption of iodine number of activated carbons was ranged from 661 to 1350 mg/g. The surface area of waste MDF activated carbons was different from 941 to 1876 m2/g and total pore volume was from 0.455 to 0.949 cm3/g. The pore size distribution indicated that waste MDF activated carbons included both micropores and mesopores, and the analysis of element implied that the contents of nitrogen varied from 0.41 to 2.31 %.