Facile one-spot synthesis of highly porous KOH-activated carbon from rice husk: Response surface methodology approach

• Main Authors: Tran Van Thuan, Van Thi Thanh Ho, Nguyen Duy Trinh, Nguyen Thi Thuong, Bui Thi Phuong Quynh, Long Giang Bach
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Applied Science Innovations Private Limited 2016-12-01
• Series: Carbon: Science and Technology
• Subjects: Adsorption of Ni (II); rice husk; response surface methodology; activated carbon
• Online Access: http://www.applied-science-innovations.com/cst-web-site/CST-8-4-2016/CST-223-8-4-2016-63-69.pdf

Highly porous KOH–activated carbon was successfully synthesized from rice husk by chemical activation with KOH. The products were characterized by IR, SEM, and BET. The response surface methodology (RSM) was employed to determine the optimum fabrication conditions of AC with respect to the simultaneous effects of activation temperature (T), impregnation rate (IR) and activation time (t) to maximize the yield of activated carbon and removal efficiency of Ni2+. The optimum synthesis conditions were T = 522 oC, IR = 1.3 and t = 360 min with a maximum AC yield of 28.5 % and a maximum Ni2+ removal of 28.5 %. The results indicated that highly porous structure, high surface area as well as the surface functional groups are key impacts in the adsorptive capacity of activated carbons for Ni2+.