Physicochemical characteristics and electrical conductivity of bismuth oxide/activated carbon composite

Abstract

Bismuth oxide/activated carbon composite was prepared from precursors of bismuth nitrate pentahydrate and activated carbon. At first, the Bi(NO3)3 solution was mixed with activated carbon. The activated carbon used varies, namely commercial activated carbon and activated carbon derived from rice husk. The resulting mixtures were then heated into a hydrothermal reactor at a temperature of 110°C for 5 hours. The results obtained were then characterized using FTIR, XRD and LCR meter. The results showed that Bi-O and Bi-O-Bi functional groups and α-Bi2O3 had appeared in both products indicating bismuth oxide had been formed. Meanwhile, the results of electrical conductivity characterization for bismuth oxide/rice husk activated carbon composite is higher than bismuth oxide/commercial activated carbon composites. In the future, bismuth oxide/activated carbon composites can be applied as materials for producing battery electrodes; however, further research must be undertaken.