SODIUM BICARBONATE ACTIVATED CARBON FROM EMPTY FRUIT BUNCHES
Nelly Wahyuni, Imelda H. Silalahi, and Ismadi

Department of Chemistry, University of Tanjungpura

Abstract

The use of carbon in the industriousness moment is veritably important. Activation can amplify carbon absorption. This report aims to determine how various activator sodium bicarbonate concentrations, temperatures, and activation times directly affect iodine numbers of carbon from the empty fruit bunch. Carbon was calcined at 500 C for 1 hour, then activated by sodium bicarbonate. In addition to the iodine number analysis, activated carbon was also characterized using FTIR to study functional groups, as well as gas sorption analysis to determine surface area and diameter pore. The results show that the system activation conditions were obtained at 600 C for 1 hour with 4% sodium bicarbonate concentration. The properties of the produced sorbent include an iodine number of 430.4 mg/g, water content of 12.31%, an ash content of 5.79%, and density of 1.26 g/mL, and specific surface area of 362.37 m2/g. In general, a functional group overview does not alter the infrared spectrum of carbon before or after activation. The results confirmed that the ash and activated carbon water content complied with SNI 063730199 standards, and the pores were micron-sized.

Keywords: Activated carbon, Activator, Empty fruit bunches, Sodium bicarbonate

Topic: Polymer Chemistry & Bio-based Materials