Preparation of chemically active carbons by hydrochloric acid based on nut shells

Abstract

The objective of this study is the valorization of the agricultural waste (nut shells) by preparing an active carbon from these wastes using the activating agent HCl 37%. The yields of the prepared active carbons were in the range 27.81 and 31.02 %. The influences of calcination temperatures in the range (550°C, 650°C and 750°C) on the adsorbent properties were studied. The overall results obtained indicated that the best maximum adsorption capacity of phenol was 26.31 mg/g, and the low capacity was 20.83 mg/g. In addition the maximum specific surface was 87.89 m²/g and the minimum was 69.588 m²/g respectively for the samples: CA0-550, CA1- 650 and CA2-750.

Keywords: nut shells; active carbon; phenol; adsorption; specific surface