Influence of process variables on chemically activated carbon from pistachio shell with ZnCl2 and KOH

• Published in: Research on chemical intermediates Vol. 41; no. 1; pp. 71 - 81
• Main Authors: Kamandari, Hossein, Hashemipour Rafsanjani, Hassan, Najjarzadeh, Hadi, Eksiri, Zahra
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 2015
• Subjects: Catalysis; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Inorganic Chemistry; Physical Chemistry; Iodine number; Chemical activation; Pistachio shell; Activated carbon
• ISSN: 0922-6168; 1568-5675
• DOI: 10.1007/s11164-013-1169-1

Activated carbons are prepared by chemical activation from pistachio shell with ZnCl
2
and KOH. Activation consisted of impregnation of a precursor followed by carbonization in N
2
and CO
2
at various temperatures, dwell times, heating rates and chemical ratios. Activation with KOH resulted in a lower yield than the ZnCl
2
. The results suggest KOH as a base is not suitable for preparing high-porosity carbons from pistachio shell. Study of various parameters during activation of pistachio shell with ZnCl
2
revealed that the most important variables are concentration and ratio of the chemical agent. The maximum surface areas obtained from the activation with ZnCl
2
was 2,024 m
2
/g. It was found that the yield of all experiments was above 35 % regardless of preparation conditions, and in optimum conditions, it reached 47.4 %. The yield was decreased by increasing temperature and dwell time, but increasing heating rate, ZnCl
2
concentration, and chemical ratio, increased the yield.