Investigation of Calcination Duration on the Surface Morphology and Specific Surface Area of Zeolite-Chitosan Composite with Oil Palm Ash for Potential Water Contaminant Remediation

Abstract

This research investigates how varying calcination durations affect the surface characteristics of a Zeolite-Chitosan composite with oil palm ash, aiming to determine its water contaminant removal potential. Three different calcination durations (1, 2, and 3 hours) are studied. The synthesis involves mixing oil palm ash with Zeolite-Chitosan, followed by varying-duration calcination. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and surface area analysis (SAA) are used to assess surface characteristics. Initial findings indicate that changing calcination duration significantly impacts the composite’s surface features and specific surface area. Longer calcination leads to increased surface roughness and higher specific surface area. The 3-hour calcination results in the highest surface roughness and specific surface area among the durations tested. These findings suggest that calcination duration is crucial in altering the composite’s structural properties, which could affect its efficacy in adsorbing water contaminants. Ongoing research aims to better understand the relationship between calcination duration and the composite’s adsorption performance, ultimately optimizing the synthesis of the Zeolite-Chitosan composite with oil palm ash for efficient water contaminant remediation.