Physicochemical and characteristic properties of activated carbon prepared from Mango seed shells via H3PO4 and ZnCl2 activation

Abstract

Highly porous and surface area activated carbons was prepared from mango seed shells using H₃PO₄ and ZnCl₂ as an activating agent. The activated carbon was prepared firstly by carbonisation followed by activation process. Physicochemical properties of activated carbons namely ash content was found to be 9.21±0.03% for AC1 (activated carbon prepared using H₃PO₄ activation) and 8.12±0.03% for AC2 (activated carbon prepared using ZnCl₂ activation). ; low moisture content of 2.03±0.01% for AC1 and 2.02±0.13% for AC2; volatile matter of 20.11±0.05% was recorded for AC1 and 20.02±0.03% for AC2 while high fixed carbon values was recorded for AC1 as 68.65±0.05% and 69.84±0.14% for AC2. The findings also revealed BET surface area values of 227.40 m²/g and 375.14 m²/g for AC1 and AC2; total pore value of 0.35 cm³/g and 0.48 cm³/g for AC1 and AC2 while pore diameter values was found to be 2.12 nm for AC1 and 2.46 nm for AC2 which indicated that both activated carbons are mesoporous making them crucial in facilitating the access of the adsorbate molecules to the interior of the carbon particles. FTIR analysis in activated carbon revealed stretching vibration C=O bond, CC bond, CN bond and C-H bond for AC1 and AC2. TGA was used to assess how the material responds to increasing temperatures. The prepared activated carbon has good fixed carbon content, better surface area and good pore diameter for better adsorption application.