title: Optimization of preparation of activated carbon from cotton stalk by microwave assisted phosphoric acid-chemical activation.
abstract: The preparation of activated carbon (AC) from cotton stalk was investigated in this paper. Orthogonal array experimental design method was used to optimize the preparation of AC using microwave assisted phosphoric acid. Optimized parameters were radiation power of 400 W, radiation time of 8 min, concentration of phosphoric acid of 50% by volume and impregnation time of 20 h, respectively. The surface characteristics of the AC prepared under optimized condition were examined by pore structure analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Pore structure analysis shows that mecropores constitute more of the porosity of the prepared AC. Compared to cotton stalk, different functionalities and morphology on the carbon surfaces were formed in the prepared process. The adsorption capacity of the AC was also investigated by removing methylene blue (MB) in aqueous solution. The equilibrium data of the adsorption was well fitted to the Langmuir isotherm. The maximum adsorption capacity of MB on the prepared AC is 245.70 mg/g. The adsorption process follows the pseudo-second-order kinetic model.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for Green Processing of Chemical Engineering of Xinjiang Bingtuan, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shihezi University, Shihezi 832003, Xinjiang, China. dengh@yahoo.com.cn
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.forename: Genlin
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xiaolin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Guanghui
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tao
authors.forename: Jiulei
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dai
mesh_terms: D002244:Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*; D003368:Gossypium; D007700:Kinetics; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008872:Microwaves; D010756:Phosphoric Acids / Q000737:chemistry*; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D010756:Phosphoric Acids; D002244:Carbon; C030242:phosphoric acid