A one-step self-sustained low temperature carbonization of coconut shell biomass produced a high specific surface area biochar-derived nano-adsorbent

• Published in: Waste Management and Research
• Main Author: Samsudin M.H.; Hassan M.A.; Idris J.; Ramli N.; Mohd Yusoff M.Z.; Ibrahim I.; Othman M.R.; Mohd Ali A.A.; Shirai Y.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: SAGE Publications Ltd 2019
• Online Access: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85061572941&doi=10.1177%2f0734242X18823953&partnerID=40&md5=0e6f0464dc2c8cb5753a182dbe5296ca
• ISSN: 0734242X
• DOI: 10.1177/0734242X18823953

A one-step self-sustained carbonization of coconut shell biomass, carried out in a brick reactor at a relatively low temperature of 300–500°C, successfully produced a biochar-derived adsorbent with 308 m 2 /g surface area, 2 nm pore diameter, and 0.15 cm 3 /g total pore volume. The coconut shell biochar qualifies as a nano-adsorbent, supported by scanning electron microscope images, which showed well-developed nano-pores on the surface of the biochar structure, even though there was no separate activation process. This is the first report whereby coconut shell can be converted to biochar-derived nano-adsorbent at a low carbonization temperature, without the need of the activation process. This is superior to previous reports on biochar produced from oil palm empty fruit bunch. © The Author(s) 2019.