Production of activated carbon by K2CO3 activation treatment of furfural production waste and its application in gas storage

Activated carbon was produced by K2CO3 chemical activation of furfural production waste. The results showed that the product is essentially microporous carbon whose BET surface area and pore volume when the carbon was activated at 800 degrees C were 2218 m2/g and 1.04 cm3/g, respectively. The potential usefulness of resultant carbons for gas storage is closely investigated. The hydrogen adsorption study showed that all the carbons exhibited a fast adsorption rate and the carbon activated at 800 degrees C had the largest amount of adsorbed hydrogen due to its greater specific surface area and micropore volume. The hydrogen adsorption capacity of the carbon activated at 800 degrees C can reach 1.7 wt % at 77K 1 atm and 0.48 wt % at 298K 6 MPa, respectively. The isosteric heat of adsorption with zero loading of hydrogen on carbon with the largest specific surface area can be 5 kJ/mol. The adsorption model based on Toth equation together with Benedict-Webb-Rubin (BWR) equation of state is proposed for this carbon in adsorbing hydrogen under high pressure. (C) 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 2010