Crystallites Dimensions and Electrical Conductivity of Solid Carbon Pellets (SCPs) from Date Palm Leaves (Phoenix dactylifera L.)

Abstract

Solid carbon pellets (SCPs) were prepared from self-adhesive properties of date palm leaves (Phoenix dactylifera L.), primary pre-carbonized at low temperature, milled to fine grain, powdered, and pelletized as a grain pellet by applying of (5-21) metric tons of compression load, to carbonization at 1000 ºC. The SCPs produced were analyzed in terms of the volume shrinkage, carbon yield, crystallites dimensions and electrical conductivity of the solid carbon pellets as a function of compression load. The values of the electrical conductivity were further analyzed in terms of percolation theory to estimate the critical density of the SCPs produced. The results show that the volume shrinkage and carbon yield after carbonization were in a range of 54.0-64.8% and 26.98-32.4%, respectively, indicating that the body is physically shrinking to maintain its structural integrity. X-ray diffraction intensity shows that the structures of the SCPs are non-graphitic, and their crystallite dimensions are improved by increasing the compressive load. The d002, Lc and La data were found to obey the linear relation of d002 versus 1/ Lc and 1/ La, as Lc and La approach infinity. The electrical conductivity was varied with the compression load and 19 metric tons is a higher value than the others. The critical density of the SCP obtained from the percolation theory was 0.025 g/cm3.