In the present study, biomass-based lignin was extracted from industrial waste black liquor and the extracted lignin was characterized by means of attenuated total reflectance- Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The extracted lignin was carbonized at different temperatures and then activated with steam at 850oC. The extracted lignin in powder state was transformed into a bulky carbonized lignin due to possible fusion between the lignin particles occurring upon carbonization. The carbonized and then pulverized lignin exhibits brittle surfaces, the increased thermal stability, and the carbon assay with increasing the carbonization temperature. The scanning electron microscopic images and the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller result indicate that the steam-activated carbon has the specific surface area of 1718 m2/g, which is markedly greater than the carbonized lignin. This study reveals that biomassbased activated carbon with highly porous structure can be produced from costless black liquor via steam-activation process.

• Daeyeon Kim(Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Kumoh National Institute of Technology, Gumi 39177, Korea)
• Jinsil Cheon(Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Kumoh National Institute of Technology, Gumi 39177, Korea)
• Jeonghoon Kim(Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Kumoh National Institute of Technology, Gumi 39177, Korea)
• Daekyun Hwang(Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Kumoh National Institute of Technology, Gumi 39177, Korea)
• Ikpyo Hong(Carbon Materials Research Group, New Materials and Component Research Center, Research Institute of Industrial Science and Technology, Pohang 37673, Korea)
• Oh Hyeong Kwon(Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Kumoh National Institute of Technology, Gumi 39177, Korea)
• Won Ho Park(Department of Organic Materials Engineering, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Korea)
• Donghwan Cho(Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Kumoh National Institute of Technology, Gumi 39177, Korea) Corresponding Author