The surface properties of bamboo-activated carbon activated using H3PO4 agent with different activation temperatures

The surface properties of activated carbon significantly determine the adsorption ability of activated carbon. These properties include pore volume, specific surface area, pore diameter, and surface morphology. This paper concerns investigating the surface properties of swat bamboo-activated carbon. The samples were carbonized at a temperature of 750°C for an hour and activated chemically using phosphoricy acid. The impregnation ratio applied was 1:1 (char:H3PO4, % weight). The activations were carried at variations temperatures of 400, 550 dan 700°C. The surface properties and morphology characterization were done by applied adsorption isotherm and SEM tests. The results of research show that increasing the activation temperature affects decreasing of pore volume and fluctuating of surface area and pore diameter. The best characteristics were obtained by activated carbon with an activation temperature of 400°C with specific surface area, pore-volume, and pore diameter of 463.30 m2/g, 0.45 cc/g, and 1.86 nm, respectively. The SEM images (surface morphology) of activated carbons showed significant improvement of activated carbon pores compared to the char, indicating the carbonization and activation are work well.