Hydrogen Storage Property of Nanoporous Carbon Materials Prepared from Rice Husks

Abstract

Nanoporous carbon materials for use as hydrogen storage materials were fabricated from rice husks. Rice husks from agricultural waste changed to porous carbon materials by heat treating and KOH activation. The specific surface area of the porous carbon materials increased from 11 to 2061 m2/g as the KOH weight ratio increased. The pore volume of the materials also increased from 0.01 to 0.88 cm3/g by KOH activation. The pore sizes of the activated porous carbon materials were distributed around 0.6 and 1.2 nm at micro-pore ranges. These results suggested porous carbon material have micro-pore structure. The hydrogen storage capacity of the porous carbon materials showed a 0.62 wt.% at 298 K under 12 MPa. The fabrication of hydrogen storage materials from agricultural waste rice husks was achieved. The results indicate that porous carbon materials synthesized from rice husks have micro-pore structures which influence their hydrogen storage capabilities.