Characterization of ball-milled sago pith waste-based activated carbon treated with KOH and KMnO4 as activating agent

Abstract

The potential use of sago pith waste to produce activated carbon were studied. This study examined the effect of KOH or KMnO4 as activating agent on producing ball milled sago pith waste-based activated carbon. Activation was done using KOH or KMnO4 at 2.5% and 5% concentration, heated in a reactor to reach 800°C for 1 hour, and then continue steamed for 1 hour. Sample size was reduced to <500 nm using high-energy ball-milling at 500 rpm for 150 min. Analysis included the yield, water content, ash content, volatile matter, burnt-off weight percentage, morphology analysis, functional groups analysis (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, FTIR), crystallinity analysis (X-ray diffraction, XRD), and surface area analysis (Brunauer, Emmelt, and Teller/BET). Ball-milling treatment produced sago pith waste activated carbon of 585.40 nm and a particle distribution index (PDI) score of 0.673. The activated carbon that met the criteria of SNI 06-3730-1995 for moisture content and volatile matter were sago pith waste with activating agent KMnO4 5%, and sago pith waste with activating agent KMnO4 5% & milling. The study showed the activated carbon that had the best Iodine number was sago pith waste with activating agent KOH 2.5% (619.40 mg/g). The activated carbon that met the criteria of SNI 06-3730-1995 for methylene blue adsorbtion capacity was sago pith waste with activating agent KOH 2.5% & milling and sago pith waste with activating agent KOH 5% & milling. The activated carbon with the highest surface area was sago pith waste with activating agent KOH 2.5% & milling. The best activated carbon based on all parameters was sago pith waste with activating agent KOH 2.5% & milling.