Production of Activated Carbon with High Specific Surface Area from Bean-curd Refuse by Chemical Activation

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Abstract
We tried to produce activated carbons with high specific surface area from bean-curd refuse by chemical activation using several alkali metal compounds such as K2CO3, NaOH and Na2CO3, and H3PO4 as the reagent. The effects of carbonization temperature, holding time and impregnation ratio of reagent to dried bean-curd refuse on pore structure of the activated carbons produced were investigated. Among the chemicals tested K2CO3 is found to be the most effective as the impregnation reagent. In a range of carbonization temperature above 700°C, the specific surface area of the activated carbon produced increases rapidly, takes a maximum at a carbonization temperature of about 800°C and decreases with further increase in temperature above 800°C The specific surface area attains a maximum at a holding time of about 60 min. The specific surface area increases with increasing impregnation ratio up to an impregnation ratio of 1.00, beyond which it gradually decreases with further increase in the impregnation ratio. The specific surface area of activated carbon produced under the suitable conditions from the bean-curd refuse impregnated with K2CO3 is as high as 2656m2/g. It is found that K2CO3 changes the carbonization behavior of the bean-curd refuse in a range of lower temperature below 400°C and reacts further with the carbonized material to increase the specific surface area in a range of higher temperature above 600°C.

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