Abstract
Preparation and process optimization of porous carbons using different carbon sources and activating agents are frequently and commonly reported in open literature. However, only scanty references are made on utilization of petroleum coke for conversion to high surface area porous carbon using KOH as the activating agent. Hence, the present work attempts a process optimization exercise to prepare high surface area porous carbon from Petroleum coke using chemical activation (KOH) utilizing design of experiments. The effect of activation temperature, petroleum coke to KOH ratio (KPR) and activation duration were assessed on the surface area and yield of the porous carbon. The process optimization was performed covering experimental parameters in the range of 500?C - 800?C, 2 - 5 and 30 - 120 min. The optimal process conditions for maximizing the yield and BET surface area was identified to be an activation temperature of 639?C, KPR of 4.5 and activation duration of 43 min, having BET surface area 1765 m2/g and yield of 89.8%. However, an attempt to maximize only the BET surface area, ignoring yield has resulted with a porous carbon with maximum surface area of 2061 m2/g, with the optimal process conditions being an activation temperature of 688?C, KPR of 3.8 and activation duration of 74 min, with the corresponding yield of only 77%. The characterization of porous carbon was performed using nitrogen adsorption isotherm, FT-IR and SEM analysis.
Highlights
Porous carbons are well known and widely used adsorbent in industries for variety of separation applications
Porous carbon yield was found to vary from 51% - 97% whereas the, BET surface area was found to vary from 317 - 2010 m2/g
A polynomial regression model was developed by using Box-Behnken Method (BBM) to analyze the factors interactions and to identify the significant factors contributing to the regression model
Summary
Porous carbons are well known and widely used adsorbent in industries for variety of separation applications. The porous carbon manufacturing methods are either based on physical activation which are basically gasification reactions of carbon with steam/CO2/combination of both or based on the chemical activation methods which include dehydrating agents such as phosphoric acid, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, zinc chloride etc., the precursors for preparation of porous carbons could be either coal, lingocellulosic material or Biomass based materials. Among the available choice of impregnating agents, metal-based activating agents such as KOH are reported to be more suitable to produce highly micro porous carbons, having high adsorption capacities compared to other popular activating agents such as phosphoric acid and zinc chloride [2]. Utilization of KOH for preparation of porous carbon from various biomass materials such as apricot [3], Oil palm fiber [4], and Anthracite [2] are reported in open literature
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