Characterization and application of spherical carbonaceous materials prepared with the use of microwave radiation

Abstract

A series of new synthetic spherical carbonaceous sorbents has been prepared by carbonization and physical activation of strongly acidic ion exchange resin - Wofatit RH. The carbonaceous materials were prepared using two different variants of thermal treatment - microwave and conventional heating. The samples obtained were characterized using various techniques, i.e. elemental analysis, determination of surface pH as well as the content of oxygen functional groups according to the Boehm titration method. The porous structures of all samples under investigation were characterized by low temperature nitrogen adsorption/desorption. Thermal properties of the spherical carbonaceous materials were investigated using thermogravimetric analysis as well as differential thermogravimetry. Kinetic and sorption studies of the removal of organic dye Bismarck Brown Y by adsorption on the carbonaceous adsorbents were carried out. In order to optimize the sorption effectiveness, the effects of contact time, initial dye concentration, pH of dye solution as well as temperature were studied.The products obtained were spherical carbonaceous materials of surface area ranging from 0.02 to 194 m2/g and pore volume from 0.0001 to 0.18 cm3/g. More favorable textural parameters were revealed by activated carbons obtained with the use of microwave radiation. It was found that the sorption capacity towards Bismarck Brown Y increased with the increasing initial concentration of the dye solution as well as the phases contact time.