The scope of this work investigates the relationship between the amount of oxygen-functional groups and hydrogen adsorption capacity with different concentrations of phosphoric acid. The amount of oxygen-functional groups of activated carbons (ACs) is characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The effects of chemical treatments on the pore structures of ACs are investigated by N2/77 K adsorption isotherms. The hydrogen adsorption capacity is measured by H2 isothermal adsorption at 298 K and 100 bar. In the results, the specific surface area and pore volume slightly decreased with the chemical treatments due to the pore collapsing behaviors, but the hydrogen storage capacity was increased by the oxygen-functional group characteristics of AC surfaces, resulting from enhanced electron acceptor-donor interaction at interfaces.

The electrochemical characteristics of electric double layer capacitor(EDLC) were investigated using various carbon materials. The physical properties such as specific surface area and mean pore size of activated carbon were analyzed by BET. The results of the activated carbon used for electrode material showed that the specific surface areas varied from 600 to 1500 m2/g and mean pore sizes from 1.74 to 2.88 nm. A maximum specific capacitance of 0.30 F/cm2 was obtained for the activated carbon with the highest specific surface area and ionic conductivity. Also, it was found that the electrochemical results of the cyclic charge-discharge tests were stable.

In the present study, the removal of Pb (II) ions on oxidized activated carbons (ACs) was investigated. ACs were derived from activation of indigenous cotton stalks waste with potassium hydroxide (KOH) in two-stage process. The KOH-ACs were subjected to liquid-phase oxidation with hot HNO3 and one untreated sample was included for comparison. The obtained carbons were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), slurry pH and N2-adsorption at 77 K, respectively. Adsorption capacity of Pb (II) ions on the resultant carbons was determined by batch equilibrium experiments. The experimental results indicated that the oxidation with nitric acid was associated with a significant increase in mass of yield as well as a remarkable reduction in internal porosity as compared to the untreated carbon. The AC-800N revealed higher adsorption capacity than that of AC-800, although the former sample exhibited low surface area and micropore volume. It was observed that the adsorption capacity enhancement attributed to pore widening, the generation of oxygen functional groups and potassium containing compounds leading to cation-exchange on the carbon surface. These results show that the oxidized carbons represented prospective adsorbents for enhancing the removal of heavy metals from wastewater.

Four activated carbons were produced by two-stage process as followings; semi-carbonization of indigenous biomass waste, i.e. cotton stalks, followed by chemical activation with KOH under various activation temperatures and chemical ratios of KOH to semi-carbonized cotton stalks (CCS). The surface area, total pore volume and average pore diameter were evaluated by N2-adsorption at 77 K. The surface morphology and oxygen functional groups were determined by SEM and FTIR, respectively. Batch equilibrium and kinetic studies were carried out by using a basic dye, methylene blue as a probe molecule to evaluate the adsorption capacity and mechanism over the produced carbons. The obtained activated carbon (CCS-1K800) exhibited highly microporous structure with high surface area of 950 m2/g, total pore volume of 0.423 cm3/g and average pore diameter of 17.8 a. The isotherm data fitted well to the Langmuir isotherm with monolayer adsorption capacity of 222 mg/g for CCS-1K800. The kinetic data obtained at different concentrations were analyzed using a pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order and intraparticle diffusion equations. The pseudo-second-order model fitted better for kinetic removal of MB dye. The results indicate that such laboratory carbons could be employed as low cost alternative to commercial carbons in wastewater treatment.

4가지 서로 다른 소재(대나무, 목재, 피탄, 석탄)로 제조된 10가지 활성탄에 대해서, 30% 알코올모델용액에 용해되어 있는 6가지 휘발성화합물(isoamyl alcohol, hexanal, furfural, ethyl lactate, ethyl octanoate, 2-phenyl ethanol)의 흡착효율을 평가하였다. 이들 6가지 휘발성화합물은 알코올음료에서 종종 발견되며, 농도가 높을 경우에는 숙취의 원인이 될 뿐만이 아니라 위스키나 보드카와 같은 술에서 이취의 원인물질이 되기도 한다. 6가지 휘발성화합물이 용해되어 있는 30% 알코올모델용액 200 mL에 0.2 g의 활성탄을 넣고 16시간 일정한 속도로 교반한 후에 처리된 용액을 2가지 시료처리방법(direct liquid injection and headspace-solid phase microextraction)을 이용 GC분석을 수행하여 활성탄의 제거효율을 구하였다. 활성탄의 제거효율은 휘발성화합물의 종류와 활성탄제조의 소재에 따라 차이가 있었으며, ethy octanoate, 2-phenyl ethanol, hexanal에 대한 제거율은 34-100%로 높은 편이나, isoamyl alcohol, ethyl lactate, furfural의 제거율은 5-13%로 비교적 낮은 편이었다. 활성탄의 종류에 따른 제거율은 대나무활성탄인 A가 isoamly alcohol, hexanal, ethyl lactate, furfural 등 대부분의 휘발성화합물에 대해서 유의적으로 높았으며(p < 0.05), 특히 알코올음료에서 숙취와 이취물질이며 fusel oil의 주성분인 isoamyl alcohol, aldehydes(hexanal, furfural), 2-phenyl ethanol에 대한 흡착효율이 높은 것으로 확인되었다.

Potassium hydroxide activated carbons were prepared from Egyptian petroleum cokes with different KOH/coke ratios and at different activation temperatures and times. The textural properties were determined by adsorption of nitrogen at -196℃. The adsorption of iodine and methylene blue was also investigated at 30℃. The surface area and the non-micropore volume increased whereas the micropore volume decreased with the increase of the ratio KOH/coke. Also the surface area and porosity increased with the rise of activation temperature from 500 to 800℃. Textural parameter considerably increased with the increase of activation time from 1 to 3 h. Further increasing of activation time from 3 to 4 h was associated with a less pronounced increase in textural parameters. The adsorption of iodine shows the same trend of surface area and porosity change exhibited by nitrogen adsorption, with KOH/coke ratio and temperature of activation. Adsorption of methylene blue follows pseudo-first-order kinetics and its equilibrium adsorption follows Langmuir and D-R models.

In this work, the CO2 adsorption behaviors of amine functionalized activated carbons (ACs) were investigated. The surface of ACs was modified with urea, melamine, diethylenetriamine (DETA), pentaethylenehexamine (PEHA), polyethylenimine (PEI), and 3-aminopropyl-triethoxysilane (ATPS). The various surface properties of amine functionalized ACs were characterized by Boehm's method, nitrogen full isotherms, XPS, and TGA analyses. The active ingredients impregnated on the ACs show significant influence on the adsorption for CO2 and its volumes adsorbed on amine functionalized ACs are larger than that on the pristine ACs, which is due to the grafted amine groups of the AC surfaces.

Among other filters such as light filter, wave filter, air filter, ultra filter and filter paper, a novel adsorption filter from thermostable polyester nonwoven fabrics immobilized with functional super activated carbon by means of quinoline soluble, activateable isotropic pitch binder were developed in this study. The activated carbon precursor is available in the market branded as coconut shell based activated carbon(CCS-AC) produced by Dongyang Carbon Co. Ltd. BET-surface area of this precursor was 1,355 m2/g, after KOH-activation it increased over 2,970 m2/g and was named as super activated carbon. In the preliminary research, this precursor was impregnated with PdCl2(0.188 wt%) KMnO4(3 wt%) and redox-agent(CuCl2, 0.577 wt%) in order to promote TOF up to 100/h and Selectivity up 99% and patented as a functional AC for the ethylene adsorption. The enhancement of the isotropic pitch binder to the AC-immobilized adsorption filter was BET-surface area upgraded by 266 m2/g and promoted the Iodine- and MB-adsorption by 1.4 times, respectively and also micro pore wide ranges 〈 5a~30 a 〉.

Chemically activated carbons were prepared from maize cobs, using phosphoric acid of variable concentration. The texturalparameters of the activated carbons were determined from the nitrogen adsorption isotherms measured at 77K. The chemistryof the carbon surface was determined by measuring the surface pH, the pHPZC and the concentration of the carbon - oxygengroups of the acid type on the carbon surface. Kinetics of Cr(VI) sorption/reduction was investigated at 303K. Two processeswere investigated in terms of kinetics and equilibrium namely; Cr(VI) removal and chromium sorption were studied at variousinitial pH (1-7). Removal of Cr(VI) shows a maximum at pH 2.5. At pH<2.5, sorption decreases because of the protoncompetition with evolved Cr(III) for ion exchange sites. The decrease of sorption at pH>2.5 is due to proton insufficiencyand to the decrease of the extent of Cr(VI) reduction. The chemistry of the surface of activated carbon is an important factorin determining its adsorption capacity from aqueous solutions particularly when the sorption process involves ion exchange.

The commercial activated carbons are typically prepared by activation from coconut shell char or coal char containing lots of inorganic impurities. They also have pore structure and pore size distribution depending on nanostructure of precursor materials. In this study, two types of commercial activated carbons were applied for EDLC electrode by removing impurities with acid treatments, and controlling pore size distribution and contents of functional group with heat treatment. The effect of the surface functional groups on electrochemical performance of the activated carbon electrodes was investigated. The initial gravimetric and volumetric capacitance of coconut based activated carbon electrode which was acid treated by HNO3 and then heat treated at 800℃ were 90 F/g and 42 F/cc respectively showing 94% of charge-discharge efficiency. Such a good electrochemical performance can be possibly applied to the medium capacitance of EDLC.

Oxidized activated carbons were prepared by reacting steam-activated carbon developed from pecan shells with nitric acid of varying strength (15, 30, 45 and 60%). The textural properties and the chemistry of the surface of the non-oxidized and of the oxidized carbons were determined from nitrogen adsorption and base neutralization capacities. The uptake of Pb(II) and Cd(II) from aqueous solution by these carbons was determined by kinetic and equilibrium experiments as well as by the column method. Treatment with nitric acid brought about drastic decrease in surface area and remarkable increase in the pore size of the carbon with these changes depending on the strength of nitric acid. Nitric acid increased the surface acidity by developing new surface oxygen functional groups of acidic nature. HNO3-oxidized carbons exhibited high adsorption capacities for Pb(II) and Cd(II). The adsorption of these ions increased with the decrease of the surface pH of the carbon and with the increase of the solution pH from 2.5 to 6 and 7. The amount adsorbed from lead and cadmium was also related to the amount of surface acidity, the pH of the point of zero charge and on some metal ion parameters. Cadmium and lead uptake by the investigated carbons followed pseudo-second order model and the equilibrium sorption data fitted Langmuir adsorption model.

The oxygen and nitrogen enriched activated carbons were obtained from modification of commercial activated carbon by using nitric acid, sodium hydroxide and urea. Zeta-potentials of modified activated carbons were investigated in relation to copper ion adsorption. The structural properties of modified activated carbons were not so much changed, but the zeta-potentials and isoelectric points were considerably changed. The zeta-potential of nitric acid modified activated carbon was the most negative than other activated carbons in the entire pH region, and the pHIEP was shifted from pH 4.8 to 2.6, resulted in the largest copper ion adsorption capacities compare with other activated carbons in the range of pH 3~6.5. In case of urea modified activated carbon, copper ion adsorption was larger than that of the as-received activated carbon from pH 2 to pH 6.5 even though the pHIEP was shifted to pH 6.0, it was due to the coordination process operated between nitrogen functional groups and copper ion. The adsorption capacity of copper ion was much influenced by zeta-potential and pHIEP of carbon adsorbent.

Four stream- activated carbons were prepared by carbonizing apricot stones at 600℃ followed by gasification with steam at 950℃ to burn-off's=17, 32, 49 and 65%. The textural parameters of these activated carbons were determined from nitrogen adsorption results at 77 K. The total pore volume and the mean pore radius increased with the increase of % burn-off whereas the surface area increased with the increase of burn- off from 17 to 32 and further to 49%. Further increase of burn-off to 65% was associated with a considerable decrease in surface area as a result of pronounced pore widening due to pore erosion. The surface pH values of the carbons investigated range between 7.1 and 8.2. The adsorption of oxamyl onto the activated carbon followed pseudo-second order kinetics and the equilibrium adsorption isotherms fitted Langmuir adsorption model. The adsorption of oxamyl proved to be of the physical type and took place in non-micropores. The amount of oxamyl adsorbed expressed as qm depends to a large extent to the surface area located in non-micropores S∝ n, where a straight line relationship passing through the origin was obtained.

In this work, activated carbons (ACs) were prepared from polystyrene-based cation-exchangeable resin (PSI) by a chemical activation with KOH as an activating agent. The surface morphologies were observed by using SEM, and the textural properties were investigated by using nitrogen adsorption at 77 K. From the experimental results, it was found that the well-developed micro- and mesopores were produced by a chemical activation, and the textural properties including specific surface areas and pore volumes were greatly enhanced. The electrochemical behaviors of the ACs showed similar phenomena with that of textural properties. These results indicated that KOH activation played an important role in the changes of surface, and pore structures, resulting in enhancing the electrochemical properties of the ACs prepared in present work.

Activated carbons were prepared by impregnation of crushed clean date pits in concentrated solutions of phosphoric acid or zinc chloride followed by carbonization in absence of air at 600℃. Steam-activated carbon was prepared by gasifying 600℃-carbonization product at 950℃ to a burn-off = 50%. KOH- activated carbon was prepared by impregnating date pitscarbonization product obtained at 450℃ in concentrated KOH solution followed by carbonization at 840℃. Textural properties of these carbons were determined from nitrogen adsorption at -196℃ and the chemistry of the carbon surface was investigated by determination and of the surface carbon-oxygen (C-O) groups using bases of variable strength and dilute HCl. The adsorption of endosulphan at 27℃ on all the carbons prepared was undertaken. Adsorption of this pesticide at 32 and 37℃ was also undertaken for steam-activated and KOH-activated carbons. Phosphoric acid-activated carbons and steamactivated carbons are mainly microporous and have high surface concentration of C-O groups of acidic nature. Steamactivated and KOH-activated carbons exhibited surface areas 〉 1000 m2/g and contain micro and non-micrpores. The adsorption of endosulphan was related to the surface area of non-micropores and was retarded by the high concentration of surface C-O groups. The thermodynamic properties indicated the feasibility of the adsorption process and the possible regeneration of the carbon for further use.

A series of activated carbons (ACs) were derived from sugarcane bagasse under two activation schemes: steam-pyrolysis at 600-800℃ and chemical activation with H3PO4 at 500℃. Some carbons were treated at 400, 600℃, or for 1-3 h, and/or in flowing air during pyrolysis of acid-impregnated mass. XRD profiles displayed two broad diffuse bands centered around 2θ=23 and 43˚, currently associated with diffraction from the 002 and 100/101 set of planes in graphite, respectively. These correspond to the interlayer spacing, Lc, and microcrystallite lateral dimensions, La, of the turbostratic (fully disordered) graphene layers. Steam pyrolysis-activated carbons exhibit only the two mentioned broad bands with enhancement in number of layers, with temperature, and small decrease in microcrystallite diameter, La. XRD patterns of H3PO4-ACs display more developed and separated peaks in the early region with maxima at 2θ=23, 26 and 29˚, possibly ascribed to fragmented microcrystallites (or partially organized structures). Diffraction within the 2θ=43˚ is still broad although depressed and diffuse, suggesting that the intragraphitic layers are less developed. Varying the conditions of chemical activation inflicts insignificant structural alterations. Circulating air during pyrolysis leads to enhancement of the basic graphitic structure with destruction and degradation in the lateral dimensions.

Phosphoric acid-activated carbon WP's and zinc chloride-activated carbons WZ's were developed from wild cherry stones. The textural properties of the activated carbons were determined from nitrogen adsorption data at 77 K and the chemistry of the carbon surface, i.e. the surface carbon-oxygen groups (type and amount) was determined from the base and acid neutralization capacities (Boehm method). The adsorption of phenol, p-nitrophenol, p-chlorophenol, dinitrophenol and dichlorophenol was followed at 298 K. The activated carbons obtained were characterized by high surface area and large pore volumes as well as by high surface concentration of C-O groups. The investigated carbons exhibited high adsorption capacities towards phenols with these capacities increased with the increase of molecular weight and the decrease of the solubility of phenol in water. However, no general relationship could be observed between the adsorption capacities of carbons and any of their textural parameters or their surface chemistry. This may be attributed to the many factors controlling phenol adsorption and the different types and mechanisms of adsorption involved.

The influence of carbon surface area, carbon-oxygen groups associated with the carbon surface and the solution pH on the adsorption of Pb(II) ions from aqueous solutions has been studied using three activated carbons. The adsorption isotherms are Type I of BET classification and the data obeys Langmuir adsorption equation. The BET surface area has little effect on the adsorption while it is strongly influenced by the presence of acidic carbon oxygen surface groups. The amount of these surface groups was enhanced by oxidation of the carbons with different oxidizing agents and reduced by eliminating these groups on degassing at different temperatures. The adsorption of Pb(II) ions increases on each oxidation and decreases on degassing the oxidized carbons. The increase in adsorption on oxidation has been attributed to the formation of acidic carbon-oxygen surface groups and the decrease to the elimination of these acidic surface groups on degassing. The adsorption is also influenced by the pH of the aqueous solution. The adsorption is only small at pH values lower than 3 but is considerably larger at higher pH values. Suitable mechanisms consistent with the adsorption data have been suggested.

The objective of this paper is to compare the variation of surface properties by hydrochloric acid pre-treatment and of metallic potassium and their salts loading effect for activated carbon after surfaces transformation by acid. From the results of nitrogen adsorption, each isotherm shows a distinct knee band, which is closely related to the characteristic of microporous carbons with capillary condensation in micropores. In order to present the causes of the differences in surface properties and SBET after the samples were treated with hydrochloric acid, pore structure and surface morphology are investigated by adsorption analysis. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns indicate that activated carbons show better performance for metallic potassium and potassium salts by pre-treatment with hydrochloric acid. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) pictures of potassium/activated carbon particles provide information about the homogeneous distribution of metal or metal complex on the surface. For the chemical composition microanalysis for potassium treatment of the activated carbon pre-treated with hydrochloric acid, samples were analyzed by energy disperse X-ray (EDX). Finally, the type and quality of oxygen groups are determined from the method proposed by Boehm. A positive influence of the acidic groups on the carbon surface by acid treatment is also demonstrated by an increase in the contents of potassium salts with increasing of acidic groups calculated from Boehm titration.