PRODUCTION OF ACTIVATED CARBON FROM INDUSTRIAL BAMBOO WASTES

Abstract

Mahanim SMA, Wan Asma I, Rafidah J, Puad E & Shaharuddin H. 2011. Production
of activated carbon from industrial bamboo wastes. Activated carbon was produced from bamboo
residues using carbonisation and steam activation in a high temperature reactor. Tests were carried
out to study the effects of two processing parameters, namely, activation time (30, 60, 90, 120 and
150 min) and activation temperature (650, 700, 750 and 800 °C) on the properties of activated carbon
produced. Activated carbon properties were analysed based on iodine number and Brunauer-Emmett
Teller (BET) surface area. Increasing activation temperature gave higher iodine values. Optimum
conditions for producing activated carbon from bamboo wastes were at activation temperature
800 °C and activation time 120 min that resulted in bamboo activated carbon with the highest iodine number
of 823 mg g^-1 and BET surface area of 719 m² g^-1. With these parameters, waste bamboo has the potential to
be a promising precursor for the production of activated carbon. The characteristics of the activated carbon
in this study was comparable with commercial ones.