Synthesis and Characterization of Activated Carbon Derived from Salacca Peel Using ZnCl2 Hydrothermal Carbonization and Chemical Activation with Microwave Heating

• Published in: IOP conference series. Materials Science and Engineering Vol. 742; no. 1
• Main Authors: Kristianto, Hans, Lavenki, Yoel, Susanti, Ratna Frida
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bristol IOP Publishing 01.01.2020
• Subjects: Activated carbon; Adsorption; Carbonization; Catalysts; Fourier transforms; Functional groups; Impregnation; Inert atmospheres; Methylene blue; Surface chemistry; Zinc chloride
• ISSN: 1757-8981; 1757-899X
• DOI: 10.1088/1757-899X/742/1/012044

In this paper we describe synthesis and characterization of salacca peel derived activated carbon. The salacca peel was carbonized using hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) at 225°C and 50 bar for 5 h with and without ZnCh as HTC catalyst. The obtained hydrochar was furthermore activated using microwave assisted chemical activation at 700 W for 8 min under inert atmosphere. The ratio between hydrochar and impregnant (ZnCl2) was varied between 1:2, 1:3, and 1:4. The samples were characterized using methylene blue equilibrium adsorption, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR) spectroscopy. It was obtained that the presence of catalyst during HTC could increase the methylene blue adsorption capacity (qe) and visible pores on the surface. The increase of impregnation ratio gave increase the surface pores and qe, with highest qe was obtained at impregnation ratio of 1:4. Furthermore, the obtained activated carbon had higher qe and oxygen functional groups compared to that of commercial activated carbon, making it suitable for various applications.