Abstract
Author(s): V. N. Ganvir, Syed Tanweer Ahmed
Activated carbon is highly demanded adsorbent and its demand is expected to increase from 2016 by 10% per year (1.9 MMT). Activated carbon is flexible in use and has several industrial applications like for water treatment, separation, deodorization, purification, storage and catalysis but its use is retarded because of its cost. The cost of activated carbon can be lowered by using low cost feedstock such as rice hulls, sugar cane, peach pits, fertilizer waste, waste rubber tire, etc. Need of hour is to have an eco-friendly, economic, effective and sustainable feedstock for production of activated carbon. Cajanus Cajan (Toor daal) seed husk is a lingocellulosic material produced through milling industries and it is found to be suitable for activated carbon manufacturing. The effect of different operating parameters such as carbonization time, carbonization temperature and activating agent concentration (H3PO4 ) on yield of activated carbon has been studied. Yield increase as the concentration of activating agent increases. The surface property of activated carbon was characterized by BET and SEM analysis. Under optimum condition, activated carbon with a surface area of 386m2 /g was obtained. Carbonization time has remarkable effect on yield. Optimum carbonization temperature was found to be 500o C for Cajanus cajan seed husk in terms of yield.
