Preparation and CO_2 adsorption properties of porous carbon by hydrothermal carbonization of tree leaves

Porous carbon materials were prepared by hydrothermal carbonization(HTC) and KOH activation of camphor leaves and camellia leaves. The morphology, pore structure, chemical properties and CO_2 capture ability of the porous carbon prepared from the two leaves were compared. The effect of HTC temperature on the structure and CO_2 adsorption properties was especially investigated. It was found that HTC temperature had a major effect on the structure of the product and the ability to capture CO_2. The porous carbon materials prepared from camellia leaves at the HTC temperature of 240℃ had the highest proportion of microporous structure, the largest specific surface area(up to 1823.77 m~2/g) and the maximum CO_2 adsorption capacity of 8.30 mmol/g at 25℃ under 0.4 MPa. For all prepared porous carbons, simulation results of isothermal adsorption model showed that Langmuir isotherm model described the adsorption equilibrium data better than Freundlich isotherm model. For porous carbons prepared from camphor leaves, pseudo-first order kinetic model was well fitted with the experimental data. However,for porous carbons prepared from camellia leaves, both pseudo-first and pseudo-second order kinetics model adsorption behaviors were present. The porous carbon materials prepared from tree leaves provided a feasible option for CO_2 capture with low cost, environmental friendship and high capture capability.     

Synthesis and surface characteristics of nanosilica produced from alkali-extracted rice husk ash

Rice husk is a form of agricultural biomass that provides an abundant silicon source. This study used rice husk as a raw material to prepare nanosilica without adding an extra surfactant. This work investigated a dissolution-precipitation technique as a function of acid treatment, sodium silicate concentration, gelation pH, aging temperature, and aging time to establish optimum conditions for preparing silica nanoparticles. Experimental results showed that silica produced by hydrochloric acid possesses higher surface area than that of sulfuric, oxalic, and citric acids. Surface characteristics of the sample depend mainly upon gelation pH. The highest surface area and pore volume of silica samples were 634 m²/g and 0.811 cm³/g. Pore diameters were controllable from 3 to 9 nm by adjusting the solution pH value. Particles had a uniform size of 5-30 nm. The objective of this study was to develop a method of nanosilica preparation that enhances the economic benefits of re-using rice husk waste.     

Sustainable and high-quality synthesis of carbon nanospheres with excellent dispersibility via synergistic external pressure- and PSSMA-assisted hydrothermal carbonization

Strict control of the monodispersity and size of hydrothermal carbon nanospheres (CNSs) with a size less than 150 nm is a prerequisite for many applications. However, designing and achieving the mass production of high-quality glucose-derived CNSs have been very challenging. Herein, we successfully synthesize PCNSs-PSSMA through a simple method that is synergistically assisted by an external pressure (2.0 MPa) and a small amount of poly(4-styrenesulfonic acid-co-maleic acid) sodium salt (PSSMA). The mechanism of the external pressure and PSSMA effect on the synthesis of PCNSs-PSSMA is investigated. On the one hand, the pressure and PSSMA can increase the glucose hydrothermal carbonation (HTC) rate and increase the number of carbon nuclei. On the other hand, PSSMA adsorbs on the surface of the CNSs to inhibit their growth so that more raw materials can be used for nucleation. When limited by the raw materials, it is difficult for CNSs to continue to grow. Furthermore, we also verify that PCNSs-PSSMA is superior in terms of adsorption and catalysis to large carbon spheres prepared by traditional methods. Our findings provide potential guidance for the mass production of other small particle size nanomaterials.     

Synthesis and characterization of carbon spheres prepared by chemical vapour deposition

Carbon spheres, with uniform diameters of about 1 μm, have been achieved via Chemical vapour deposition (CVD). The fabricated materials have been fully characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX). The results show that the spheres are 95% carbon. The formation mechanism of carbon spheres has also been discussed.     

Molecular orbital calculations of hydrogen storage in carbon and boron nitride clusters

Hydrogen gas storage ability in carbon and boron nitride (BN) clusters was investigated by molecular orbital calculations. From single point energy calculations, H₂ molecules would enter from hexagonal rings of C₆₀ and B₃₆N₃₆ clusters and octagonal rings of B₂₄N₂₄ cluster because of lower energy barrier. Chemisorption calculation of hydrogen for BN clusters showed that hydrogen bonding with nitrogen atoms was more stable than that with boron atoms. Stability of H₂ molecules in BN clusters seems to be higher than that of carbon clusters.     

Potential of pomegranate husk carbon for Cr(VI) removal from wastewater: kinetic and isotherm studies

Pomegranate husk was converted into activated carbon and tested for its ability to remove hexavalent chromium from wastewater. The new activated carbon was obtained from pomegranate husk by dehydration process using concentrated sulfuric acid. The important parameters for the adsorption process such as pH, metal concentration and sorbent weight were investigated. Batch equilibrium experiments exhibited that a maximum chromium uptake was obtained at pH 1.0. The maximum adsorption capacity for pomegranate husk activated carbon was 35.2mgg(-1) as calculated by Langmuir model. The ability of activated carbon to remove chromium from synthetic sea water, natural sea water and wastewater was investigated as well. Different isotherm models were used to analyze the experimental data and the models parameters were evaluated. This study showed that the removal of toxic chromium by activated carbon developed from pomegranate husk is a promising technique.     

Sorption potential of rice husk for the removal of 2,4-dichlorophenol from aqueous solutions: kinetic and thermodynamic investigations

The sorption potential of chemically and thermally treated rice husk (RHT) for the removal of 2,4-dichlorophenol (DCP) from aqueous solutions has been investigated. Sorption of DCP by rice husk was observed over a wide pH range of 1-10. The effect of contact time between liquid and solid phases, sorbent dose, pH, concentration of sorbate and temperature on the sorption of DCP onto rice husk has been studied. The pore area and average pore diameter of RHT by BET method are calculated to be 17+/-0.6 m2g-1 and 51.3+/-1.5 nm, respectively. Maximum sorption (98+/-1.2%) was achieved for RHT from 6.1x10(-5) moldm(-3) of sorbate solution using 0.1g of rice husk for 10 min agitation time at pH 6 and 303K, which is comparable to activated carbon commercial (ACC) 96.6+/-1.2%, but significantly higher than chemically treated rice husk (RHCT) 65+/-1.6% and rice husk untreated (RHUT) 41+/-2.3%. The sorption data obtained at optimized conditions was subjected to Freundlich, Langmuir and Dubinin-Radushkevich (D-R) isotherms. Sorption intensity 1/n (0.31+/-0.01) and sorption capacity multilayer C(m) (12.0+/-1.6 mmolg(-1)) have been evaluated using Freundlich sorption isotherm, whereas the values of sorption capacity monolayer Q (0.96+/-0.03 mmolg(-1)) and binding energy, b, (4.5+/-1.0)x10(4)dm(3)mol(-1) have been estimated by Langmuir isotherm. The Langmuir constant, b, was also used to calculate the dimensionless factor, R(L), in the concentration range (0.6-6.1)x10(-4) moldm(-3), suggesting greater sorption at low concentration. D-R sorption isotherm was employed to calculate sorption capacity X(m) (2.5+/-0.07 mmolg(-1)) and sorption energy E (14.7+/-0.13 kJmol(-1)). Lagergren and Morris-Weber equations were employed to study kinetics of sorption process using 0.2g of RHT, 25 cm(3) of 0.61x10(-4)moldm(-3) sorbate concentration at pH 6, giving values of first-order rate constant, k, and rate constant of intraparticle transport, R(id), (0.48+/-0.04 min(-1) and 6.8+/-0.8 nmolg(-1)min(-1/2), respectively) at 0.61x10(-4)moldm(-3) solution concentration of DCP, 0.1g RHT, pH 6 and 2-10min of agitation time. For thermodynamic studies, sorption potential was examined over temperature range 283-323 K by employing 6.1x10(-4)moldm(-3) solution concentration of DCP, 0.1g RHT at pH 6 and 10 min of agitation time and values of DeltaH (-25+/-1 kJmol(-1)), DeltaS (-61+/-4 Jmol(-1)K(-1)) and DeltaG(303K) (-7.1+/-0.09 kJmol(-1)) were computed. The negative values of enthalpy, entropy, and free energy suggest that the sorption is exothermic, stable, and spontaneous in nature.     

Graphene-based materials: Synthesis and gas sorption,storage and separation

Graphene-based materials have generated tremendous interest in a wide range of research activities. A wide variety of graphene related materials have been synthesised for potential applications in electronics, energy storage, catalysis, and gas sorption, storage, separation and sensing. Recently, gas sorption, storage and separation in porous nanocarbons and metal–organic frameworks have received increasing attention. In particular, the tuneable porosity, surface area and functionality of the lightweight and stable graphene-based materials open up great scope for those applications. Such structural features can be achieved by the design and control of the synthesis routes. Here, we highlight recent progresses and challenges in the syntheses of graphene-based materials with hierarchical pore structures, tuneable high surface area, chemical doping and surface functionalization for gas (H₂, CH₄, CO₂, N₂, NH₃, NO₂, H₂S, SO₂, etc.) sorption, storage and separation.     

Compact energy storage enabled by graphenes: Challenges,strategies and progress

Storing as much energy as possible in as compact a space as possible is an ever-increasing concern to deal with the emerging “space anxiety” in electrochemical energy storage (EES) devices like batteries, which is known as “compact energy storage”. Carbons built from graphene units can be used as active electrodes or inactive key materials acting as porous micro- or even nano-reactors that facilitate battery reactions and play a vital role in optimizing the volumetric performance of the electrode and the battery. In this review, we discuss and clarify the key issues and specific strategies for compact energy storage, especially in batteries. The use of shrinkable carbon networks to produce small yet sufficient reaction space together with smooth charge delivery is highlighted as the simplest structure–function-performance relationship when used in supercapacitors and is then extended to overcome problems in compact rechargeable lithium/sodium/potassium batteries. Special concerns about cycling stability, fast charging and safety in compact batteries are discussed in detail. Strategies for compact energy storage ranging from materials to electrodes to batteries are reviewed here to provide guidance for how to produce a compact high energy battery by densifying the electrodes using customized carbon structures.     

Pyridine sorption from aqueous solution by rice husk ash (RHA) and granular activated carbon (GAC): parametric, kinetic, equilibrium and thermodynamic aspects

The present study deals with the adsorption of pyridine (Py) from synthetic aqueous solutions by rice husk ash (RHA) and commercial grade granular activated carbon (GAC) and reports on the kinetic, equilibrium and thermodynamic aspects of Py sorption. Batch sorption studies were carried out to evaluate the effect of various parameters, such as adsorbent dose (m), initial pH (pH0), contact time (t), initial concentration (C0) and temperature (T) on the removal of Py. The maximum removal of Py is found to be approximately 96% and approximately 97% at lower concentrations (<50 mg dm(-3)) and approximately 79.5% and approximately 84% at higher concentrations (600 mg dm(-3)) using 50 kg m(-3) and 30 kg m(-3) of RHA and GAC dosage, respectively, at 30+/-1 degrees C. Adsorption of Py is found to be endothermic in nature and the equilibrium data can be adequately represented by Toth and Redlich-Peterson isotherm equations. Py can be recovered from the spent adsorbents by using acidic water and 0.1 N H2SO4. The overall adsorption of Py on RHA and GAC is found to be in the order of GAC>RHA. Comparative assessment of adsorbents used by various investigators available in literature showed the effectiveness of BFA and RHA over other adsorbents. Spent RHA can simply be filtered, dried and used in the boiler furnaces/incinerators. Thus, its heating value can be recovered.