Charcoal Composites Research Articles

Highly toughened PP/Rice husk charcoal composites modified Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (EPDM) with glycidyl methacrylate

Highly toughened PP/Rice husk charcoal composites modified Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (EPDM) with glycidyl methacrylate

Synthesis of Cu2O, Cu2O/Charcoal, and Cu2O/Activated Charcoal Composites as Antibacterial Agents

The excessive use of antibiotics to treat bacterial infections can lead to bacterial resistance, necessitating other antibacterial agents as alternatives. This research combined charcoal and activated charcoal with metal oxide, namely copper oxide (Cu2O), which has antibacterial properties against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, thus producing an antibacterial composite for water treatment processes. Furthermore, this study also examined the effect of different types of sugar as reducing agents on the produced Cu2O and identified the antibacterial activity of Cu2O and its composites. Synthesis of Cu2O through the Tollens-like reaction method using Cu(NO3)2 as a precursor, then adding NaOH, NH4OH, and sugar. The sugars were sucrose, white sugar, and brown sugar. The type of sugar used as a reducing agent affected the size and morphology of the Cu2O produced. Adding Cu2O to charcoal and activated charcoal increased antibacterial properties to charcoal and activated charcoal. Copper oxide, Cu2O/charcoal, and Cu2O/activated charcoal exhibited high antibacterial properties against Escherichia coli (Gram-negative), as of 5.69 ± 0.02 mm and 6.23 ± 0.03 mm, respectively, due to their thinner cell walls compared to Staphylococcus aureus (Gram-positive). The Cu2O synthesized using white sugar as the reducing agent showed the best antibacterial activity, with an 8.26 ± 0.19 mm inhibition zone. Keywords: activated charcoal, antibacterial, charcoal, copper oxide, sugar

Microstructure Evolution and Phase Transformation of Iron Produced from the Sustainable Carbothermic Reduction Process of High-Pressure Acid Leaching Residue.

This paper describes the microstructure evolution and phase transformation of residue from the lateritic nickel ore high-pressure acid leaching (HPAL) during carbothermic reduction using palm kernel shell (PKS) charcoal as a reductant. The study consisted of thermodynamic calculations combined with analysis of reduction experiments. The thermodynamic assessment predicted that the main phases formed during the reduction process were γ-Fe metal, liquid metal, slag, and spinel, with abundance of reducing gas (CO and H2) at the temperature range of 750-1500 °C. The experimental study shows that the resulting product upon cooling was sponge iron or direct reduced iron when HPAL residue-PKS charcoal composites were reacted up to 1400 °C for 45 min. The sponge iron had an average apparent density of 5.8 ± 0.1 g/cm3 and a 90.8 ± 0.4% metallization degree. The microstructure analysis revealed that as the reduction time was increased, small iron nuggets began forming on the surface of the reduced product. By addition of Na2CO3, the separation of iron nuggets from slag appeared to be improved, hence enhancing the overall reduction process. Furthermore, iron nuggets' highest apparent density and metallization degree were obtained at 7 ± 0.1 g/cm3 and 98 ± 0.5%, respectively, when adding Na2CO3 of 6 wt %. The phase and microstructure analyses also revealed that the iron nuggets comprised coarse pearlite, eutectic cementite, ledeburite, and sulfides. Thus, this study offers alternative sustainable process conditions for simultaneously handling the HPAL residue using PKS waste to produce metallic iron.

Effect of carbon fiber reinforcement on the mechanical and electromagnetic shielding properties of the Fe3O4‐carbonaceous/epoxy composites

AbstractThe present work aimed at the simultaneous improvement in the mechanical and electromagnetic shielding properties of Fe3O4‐carbonaceous/epoxy composites by the reinforcement of two plies of carbon fiber into the epoxy‐filler matrix. In this study, Fe3O4‐activated carbon and Fe3O4‐activated charcoal composites were synthesized by co‐precipitation method and were introduced into the epoxy matrix with different weight percentage (5, 10, and 15 wt%). The BET surface area analysis revealed the high porosity in the Fe3O4‐activated charcoal composite than that of activated carbon composite. The Fe3O4‐activated carbon/epoxy composite showed better mechanical properties than the later. Both the composites showed nearly same EMI SE value. 10 wt% of the filler‐1/epoxy composite showed the highest shielding effectiveness (SE) value of −22.5 dB at 10 GHz whereas 15 wt% Fe3O4@charcoal/epoxy composite showed better SE value of −27.15 dB at 8.8 GHz. The obtained results were supported by the dielectric and magnetic loss tangent studies. The incorporation of carbon fiber enhanced the mechanical property by three times and the EMI SE value by ~15 dB. Thus, the carbon fiber reinforced Fe3O4/carbonaceous epoxy composites may be the potential electromagnetic shielding material for electronics and aircraft industries.

In-situ confined construction of N-doped compact bamboo charcoal composites for supercapacitors

In-situ confined construction of N-doped compact bamboo charcoal composites for supercapacitors

Improving comprehensive properties of high-density polyethylene matrix composite by boron nitride/coconut shell carbon reinforcement

Simultaneously enhancing the thermal conductivity, insulation, and mechanical properties of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) composites is highly desired for electronic and electrical applications. In this research, HDPE/boron nitride (BN)/coconut shell charcoal (CSC) composites were prepared. Benefit from the synergistic effect between the multi-dimensional hybrid fillers, the prepared HDPE/BN/CSC composites exhibited enhanced comprehensive properties compared to the HDPE/BN composites and pure HDPE. In particular, as for HDPE/25BN/3CSC (25 wt% BN, 3 wt% CSC) nanocomposites compared to the pure HDPE, enhancements in in-plane thermal conductivity of 980.89%, normal thermal conductivity of 138%, and tensile strength of 18.91% were obtained, while higher volume resistivity and decomposition temperature were achieved. This work provides a simple but effective way for improving the thermal conductivity and comprehensive physical properties of HDPE composites.

Removal of Pesticides from Water using Magnetite-Activated Charcoal

To remove three of the most commonly used pesticides including azoxystrobin (AZX), nitenpyram (NIT) and thiamethoxam (TMX) from water, a magnetite-activated charcoal composite was synthesized, characterized using FT-IR, SEM and TEM and evaluated. The prepared composite was compared for its sorption ability with activated charcoal. Except azoxystrobin, other two pesticides were better adsorbed on the magnetite charcoal composite. Further, fitting of data to isotherm models showed that Freundlich model best described the adsorption showing a heterogeneous multilayer adsorption phenomenon with maximum sorption capacity of 3706.8 μg g−1 for nitenpyram, 3288.51 μg g−1 for azoxystrobin and 3250.87 μg g−1 for thiamethoxam. The standardized regeneration protocol showed great efficiency as after three reusability cycles only 8–9% decline in sorption was observed. Therefore, such magnetite-activated charcoal composites are highly cost-effective, eco-friendly alternatives for removal of pesticides from wastewater.

Enhancement of photocatalytic and biological activities of chitosan/activated carbon incorporated with TiO2 nanoparticles.

Novel and sustainable chitosan (CS)/activated charcoal (AC) composites were prepared by cross-linking with epichlorohydrin (ECH) to form a porous structure. Different titanium dioxide nanoparticle (TiO2 NPs) concentrations (0, 0.2, 0.4, and 0.8% w/w) were added to enhance the photocatalytic, antibacterial, larvicidal, and pupicidal activities' efficiency toward Rose Bengal (RB) dye and the Culex pipiens. The composites were characterized by FT-IR, XRD,XPS, BET and SEM. The SEM images revealed the porous structure of CS/AC and TiO2 nanoparticles were uniformly distributed in the CS/AC matrix. The degradation of RB dye was used to test the photocatalytic behavior of the composites. Supporting TiO2 on a CS/AC matrix resulted in a significant increase in photocatalytic performance. The antibacterial activities supported by CS/AC/TiO2 NPs were evaluated by bacterial growth inhibition against B. subtilis, S. aureus, E. coli, and P. aeruginosa. The results showed that CS/AC/TiO2 NPs composite has an inhibitory effect and therefore considered antibacterial agents. CS/AC/0.4%TiO2 NPs showed maximum efficacy against larvicidal activity and pupicidal of mosquito vector which recorded 99.00 ± 1.14, 95.00 ± 1.43, and 92.20 ± 2.64 for the first, second, and third larval instars and 66.00 ± 2.39 for pupal mortality, while the repellent activity reported high protection at 82.95 ± 2.99 with 3.24mg/cm2 dose compared to control DEET.

Smartphone-based study of cement-activated charcoal coatings for removal of organic pollutants from water

Cement-based activated charcoal composites (in the form of coatings) were fabricated and applied as an adsorbent for water remediations. Activated charcoal (AC) was mixed in the Portland cement in different proportions (10, 30, and 50% by wt.) and prepared samples were used as an adsorbent for two different organic compounds, namely Methylene blue (MB), Rhodamine and B (RB). The smartphone-based colorimetry method was used to quantify the dye removal process. The maximum adsorptive removals of MB, RB, and were recorded 80, and 71, respectively using 50% AC coating at neutral pH 7. The operating parameters were optimized using response surface methodology and box-Behnken design was used for experimental design and analysis of results. The coatings composition was found to be the most influencing parameter followed by adsorbate concentration and pH. The maximum removal was found at a dye concentration of 20.1 mg/lt, pH 11.7, and composite composition of 47.9%. The intraparticle diffusion kinetic model was used to study the pore diffusion mechanism.

The Effectiveness of Zeolite/Claystone/Activated Charcoal Composite in Reducing Levels of Mercury (Hg) in the Waste Resulting from the Activities of Unlicensed Gold Mining (PETI) in Sintang

Research on zeolite/clay/activated charcoal composites as Hg heavy metal adsorbents has been carried out. Zeolite and clay were previously activated using NaOH while activated charcoal was activated using HCl. The adsorbent characterization was carried out by Fourier Transform Infrared Analyzer (FTIR), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), and mercury levels using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS). Hg metal adsorption experiments were carried out by varying the composition of zeolite / claystone / activated charcoal. The location of the study was in Gold Mining without Permit (PETI) in the Kapuas Sub-watershed, Ulak Jaya Village, Sintang. The results showed that zeolite / claystone / activated charcoal succeeded in reducing mercury levels in mining waste.

Preparation and Properties of Lauryl Alcohol-Caprylic Acid Eutectics/Activated Charcoal Composites as Shape-stabilized Phase Change Materials for Cold Energy Storage

A novel form-stable composite phase change materials for cold energy storage were prepared using physical blending adsorption method. In the shape-stabilized composites, lauryl alcohol (LA) and caprylic acid (CA) were employed as phase change materials, which were blended together at specific mass ratio based on theoretical calculations. Activated charcoal (AC) was selected as supporting material due to its advantages like large specific surface area and high thermal conductivity. The composites were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FT-IR), differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA). The results of FE-SEM and FT-IR displayed that the eutectics of LA and CA was well absorbed and dispersed homogeneously into the porous network structure of the AC and the melted eutectics was not easy to leak from the reticular structure. Moreover, there was only physical absorption between the eutectic mixture and AC. The results of DSC and TGA indicated that phase change temperature and latent heat of the prepared composites increased with the increase of the binary eutectics mass ratio and AC can enhance the thermal stability of composites. The composites with the mass ratio 60% of the eutectics melted at – 0.21 ℃ with a latent heat enthalpy of 28.08 J/g and solidified at – 2.33 ℃ with a latent solidification enthalpy of 29.70 J/g. The prepared composites will contribute to cold energy storage of low temperature range.

Composites for wastewater purification: A review.

The review deals with different kinds of composites which have been used for wastewater treatment. The use of different types of composites ranging from nanocomposites, activated charcoal composites, polymer composites, oxide-based composites, hybrid composites, and biosorbent composites, etc. has been dealt with in detail, and presented as a central source of knowledge. The paper incorporates water purification explicitly via adsorption process, which has proven to be economical and efficient. These composites have been explored for treating or elimination of various hazardous substances like heavy metal species, different classes of colored contaminants (dyes), several organic and inorganic pollutants from wastewater. The composites discussed have successfully eliminated Zn2+, Ni2+, Cu2+, Pb2+, Hg, etc. In some instances the removal percentage of the contaminants was almost 100%. The presented data reveals the efficiency of composite materials in wastewater treatment over the conventional singular materials.

Economic Impacts on The Use of Zeolite, Claystone, and Active Charcoal in Reducing Levels of Mercury (Hg) in Waste from Unlicensed Gold Mining Activities (PETI) in Kapuas Sub Watershed, Ulak Jaya Sintang Village

Research on the use of zeolite/clay/ activated charcoal composites as Hg heavy metal adsorbents has been carried out. Zeolites and clays were previously activated using NaOH, while activated charcoal was activated using HCl. The adsorbent characterization was carried out by Fourier Transform Infrared Analyzer (FTIR), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), and mercury levels using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS). Hg metal adsorption experiments were carried out by varying the composition of zeolite/claystone/ activated charcoal. The location of the study was Unlicensed Gold Mining (PETI) in the Kapuas watershed, Ulak Jaya Village, Sintang. The results showed that zeolite/claystone/ activated charcoal succeeded in reducing mercury levels in wastewater. The purpose of this study was to prove that the wastewater from gold mining could be reused to meet the needs of the community and improve environmental sustainability.

Holocene fire activity during low-natural flammability periods reveals scale-dependent cultural human-fire relationships in Europe

Fire is a natural component of global biogeochemical cycles and closely related to changes in human land use. Whereas climate-fuel relationships seem to drive both global and subcontinental fire regimes, human-induced fires are prominent mainly on a local scale. Furthermore, the basic assumption that relates humans and fire regimes in terms of population densities, suggesting that few human-induced fires should occur in periods and areas of low population density, is currently debated. Here, we analyze human-fire relationships throughout the Holocene and discuss how and to what extent human-driven fires affected the landscape transformation in the Central European Lowlands (CEL). We present sedimentary charcoal composites on three spatial scales and compare them with climate model output and land cover reconstructions from pollen records. Our findings indicate that widespread natural fires only occurred during the early Holocene. Natural conditions (climate and vegetation) limited the extent of wildfires beginning 8500 cal. BP, and diverging subregional charcoal composites suggest that Mesolithic hunter-gatherers maintained a culturally diverse use of fire. Divergence in regional charcoal composites marks the spread of sedentary cultures in the western and eastern CEL. The intensification of human land use during the last millennium drove an increase in fire activity to early-Holocene levels across the CEL. Hence, humans have significantly affected natural fire regimes beyond the local scale – even in periods of low population densities – depending on diverse cultural land-use strategies. We find that humans have strongly affected land-cover- and biogeochemical cycles since Mesolithic times.

3D copper foam/bamboo charcoal composites as high sulfur loading host for lithium-sulfur batteries

In this study, a three-Dimensional (3D) copper foam/bamboo charcoal/sulfur cathode is designed for high sulfur loading lithium-sulfur (Li-S) battery. In the cathode, an interconnected conductive skeleton of 3D copper foam and the bamboo charcoal within the pores of 3D structure are facilitating fast ion and electron transport physically. The bamboo charcoal can improve the volume utilization. More importantly, the 3D copper foam can accommodate sulfur by chemically binding sulfur onto skeleton to form CuS. Based on the design, cathodes with sulfur loading of 6–10 mg can discharge and charge reversibly with initial discharge capacity of 1513 mAh g−1 and 1168 mAh g−1 and Coulombic efficiency of nearly 100% at 0.02 C. These results suggest that filling the pore of 3D foam with porous bamboo charcoal and combining sulfur on copper are effective to enable fluent electron and Li+ and offer enough sulfur accommodation for real applications of Li-S batteries.

Preparation and Photocatalytic Performance of Bamboo-Charcoal-Supported Nano-ZnO Composites

Nano-ZnO/bamboo charcoal composites were prepared by precipitation with bamboo charcoal as support. Nano-ZnO/bamboo charcoal composites were characterized by XRD, SEM and EDS. Photocatalytic degradation processes of methyl orange were studied. The results indicate that the structure of nano-ZnO is of the wurtzite type and the grain size is about 19-54 nm. The best preparation temperature for these composites is 500℃. The composites have better photocatalytic degradation ability than pure ZnO under UV irradiation. Photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange with the composites obeys first-order kinetics, and the composites can be recycled.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ms.24.1.17397

SBR/전분/대나무 숯 복합체의 제조와 물성

스티렌-부타디엔 고무(SBR) 라텍스와 전분, 대나무 숯을 라텍스 블렌딩 방법으로 혼합하여 SBR/전분/대나무 숯 복합체를 제조하였다. 전분과 대나무 숯의 조성에 따라 모폴로지, 기계적 물성, 열적 특성을 조사하였다. 전분과 대나무 숯의 입자크기를 확인하였고, 전자현미경(SEM)을 이용하여 전분과 대나무 숯을 함께 사용한 경우 분산성이 향상되는 것을 확인하였다. 대나무 숯이 들어가면서 충전제-충전제, 충전제-폴리머 상호작용이 증가하는 것을 관찰하였다. 또한 대나무 숯의 함량이 증가할수록 인장강도, 탄성률, 경도의 향상이 보였으며 15 phr의 전분과 5 phr의 대나무 숯이 들어간 경우 우수한 분산성으로 인해 가장 높은 인장강도를 보였다. 열적 안정성은 대나무 숯의 함량이 증가함에 따라 초기 분해 온도가 증가하였다.

Preparation and Properties Investigation of Polyetherimide/Bamboo Charcoal Composites with High Dielectric Constant

The physic and dielectric properties of the polyetherimide/bamboo charcoal (PEI/BC) composites were studied by using bamboo charcoal as the conductive filler. The PEI/BC composites are fabricated using PEI, dispersant, solvents, and BC powder (BCP). The effects of the content of BCP on the physical and dielectric properties of PEI/BCP composites are studied in this research. Two different electric conductivity of BCP (BCP1 and BCP2) were used as the filler mixing with the polyetherimide, and the electric conductivity of BCP1 is higher than the BCP2. As the content of BCP1 and BCP2 increases from 10 to 70 wt%, the dielectric constants of PEI/BC1 and PEI/BC2 composites at 1 MHz increases from 5.06 to 19.73 and 4.7 to 18.9, respectively. All loss tangents of PEI/BC1 and PEI/BC2 composites are less than 0.04 at measured frequencies from 1 kHz to 1 MHz.

Rational synthesis of zerovalent iron/bamboo charcoal composites with high saturation magnetization

Two zerovalent iron/bamboo charcoal composites with high saturation magnetization (118.1 and 122.7 emu g−1) were prepared by mixing bamboo charcoal powder with Fe3+ solutions and subsequently pyrolyzing under 1000 and 1200 °C.

Bioframe synthesis of NF–TiO2/straw charcoal composites for enhanced adsorption-visible light photocatalytic degradation of RhB

N–F codoped TiO2/straw charcoal composites (NF–TiO2/SC) were synthesized using a simple, bioframe-assisted sol–gel method and confirmed by XRD, SEM, EDX, TEM, N2 adsorption–desorption, Raman, FT-IR, XPS, and UV-vis DRS measurements.