Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Preparation of activated carbons by utilizing solid wastes from palm oil processing mills

  • Published:
Journal of Porous Materials Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Feasibility of producing activated carbons by utilizing solid wastes (extracted flesh fibre and seed shell) from palm oil processing mills was investigated. The effects of activation conditions (CO2 flow rate, activation temperature and retention time) on the characteristics of the activated carbons, i.e. density, porosity, BET surface area, pore size distribution and surface chemistry were studied. In this study, the optimum conditions for activation were an activation temperature of 800 °C and a retention time of 30 min for fiber or 50 min for shell, which gave the maximum BET surface area. Pore size distribution revealed that the shell-based activated carbons were predominantly microporous whilst fiber activated carbon had predominant mesopores and macropores, suggesting the application of shell and fiber activated carbon as adsorbents for gas-phase and liquid-phase adsorption, respectively. This was confirmed by further gas- and liquid-phase adsorption tests.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. W.M.A.W. Daud, W.S.W. Ali, Bioresour. Technol., 93(1), 63 (2004)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. G. Singh, in Utilisation of Oil Palm Tree and Other Palms, ed. by M.P. Koh, M.M. Yusoff, K.C. Khoo, N.M. Nasiv (Kepong, Forest Research Institute Malaysia, 1994), pp. 19–25

  3. F. Derbyshire, M. Jagtoyen, R. Andrews, in Proceedings of the 2nd Asia Pacific Conference on Sustainable Energy and Environmental Technologies, ed. by G.Q. Lu, V. Rudolph, P.F. Greenfield (Brisbane, The University of Queensland, 14–17 June, 1998) pp. 457–462

  4. W.M.A.W. Daud, W.S.W. Ali, M.Z. Sulaiman, J. Chem. Technol. Biotechnol., 78(1), 1 (2003)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. A. C. Lua, J. Guo, Carbon, 36(11), 1663 (1998)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. J. Guo, A.C. Lua, J. Anal. Appl. Pyrolysis, 46(2), 113 (1998)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. M. Normah, K.C. Teo, A.P. Watkinson, in Bioproducts Processing: Technologies for the tropics, ed. by M.A. Hashim (Institutes of Chemical Engineers, Rugby, United Kingdom, 1995), 93 pp

  8. M.Z. Hussein , R.S.H. Tarmizi, Z. Zainal, R. Ibrahim, M. Badri, Carbon, 34(11), 1447 (1996)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. S.J. Gregg, K.S.W. Sing. Adsorption, Surface Area and Porosity. (Academic Press, New York, 1982), 85 pp

  10. A. Jumasiah, T.G. Chuah, J. Gimbon, T.S.Y. Choong, I. Azni, Desalination 186(1–3), 57 (2005)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. H. P. Yang, R. Yan, T. Chin, D.T. Liang, H. P. Chen, C.G. Zheng, Energy Fuels, 18(6), 1814 (2004)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. IUPAC, 1982. Manual of Symbols and Terminology of Colloid Surface. (Butterworths, London), p. 1

  13. R. Arriagada, R. Garcia, M. Molina-Sabio, F. Rodriguez-Reinoso, Microporous Mater., 8, 123 (1997)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. V. Gomez-Serrano, J. Pastor-Villegas, C.J. Duran-Valle, C. Valenzeula-Calahorro, Carbon, 34, 533 (1996)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. A. G. Pandolfo, M. Amini-Amoli, J.S. Killingley, Carbon, 32(5), 1015 (1994)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The author (Dr. J. Guo) appreciates the financial supports from the Program for New Century Excellent Talents in University (Contract No. NCET-05-0681) and the Scientific Research Foundation for the Returned Overseas Chinese Scholars (Contract No. 2005-383), Ministry of Education, P.R. China.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Hubei Key Laboratory of Novel Reactor and Green Chemical Technology, School of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan, 430073, P.R. China

    Jia Guo, Ben Gui, Shou-xin Xiang, Xiu-ting Bao & Hu-ji Zhang

  2. Division of Thermal and Fluid Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 639798, Republic of Singapore

    Aik Chong Lua

Authors
  1. Jia Guo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ben Gui
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Shou-xin Xiang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Xiu-ting Bao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Hu-ji Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Aik Chong Lua
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jia Guo.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Guo, J., Gui, B., Xiang, Sx. et al. Preparation of activated carbons by utilizing solid wastes from palm oil processing mills. J Porous Mater 15, 535–540 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10934-007-9129-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10934-007-9129-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation