Production and Characterization of Activated Carbon from Banana Empty Fruit Bunch and Delonix regia Fruit Pod

Abstract

Activated carbon was produced from banana empty fruit bunch (BEFB) and Delonix regia fruit pod (DRFP) through single step chemical activation process. As both the lignocellulosic wastes showed maximum weight loss at temperatures lower than 500°C, they were carbonized at 450°C (BEFP) and 400°C (DRFP) respectively after impregnating with H3PO4 and KOH. Highest yield of 41.09% was recorded in DRFP treated with H3PO4 followed by other treatments. The KOH treated DRFP recorded maximum bulk density of 0.46 g/ml followed by H3PO4 treated DRFP. The BEFP carbons displayed lower attrition values than DRFP carbons. While the H3PO4 treated DRFP carbon sample showed higher surface area, the untreated DRFP registered higher pore volume. However BET surface area was comparatively low in both the substrates. FT-IR analysis of H3PO4, KOH and untreated carbon sample, though did not show much difference in surface functional groups, showed shifts in bands and changes in wave numbers and absorbance between the untreated and treated samples indicating chemical transformations during pyrolysis. While highest iodine removal was observed in KOH treated BEFP and DRFP samples, methylene blue reduction was high in H3PO4, KOH and untreated BEFP carbon samples.