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A Review of Chemicals to Produce Activated Carbon from Agricultural Waste Biomass

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  • Kalu Samuel Ukanwa

    (Centre for Thermal Energy and Materials, School of Water, Energy and Environment, Cranfield University, Cranfield MK43 0AL, UK)

  • Kumar Patchigolla

    (Centre for Thermal Energy and Materials, School of Water, Energy and Environment, Cranfield University, Cranfield MK43 0AL, UK)

  • Ruben Sakrabani

    (Cranfield Soil and Agrifood Institute, Cranfield University, Cranfield MK43 0AL, UK)

  • Edward Anthony

    (Centre for Thermal Energy and Materials, School of Water, Energy and Environment, Cranfield University, Cranfield MK43 0AL, UK)

  • Sachin Mandavgane

    (Chemical Engineering Department, Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology, South Ambazari Road, Nagpur 440010, Maharashtra, India)

Abstract

The choice of activating agent for the thermochemical production of high-grade activated carbon (AC) from agricultural residues and wastes, such as feedstock, requires innovative methods. Overcoming energy losses, and using the best techniques to minimise secondary contamination and improve adsorptivity, are critical. Here, we review the importance and influence of activating agents on agricultural waste: how they react and compare conventional and microwave processes. In particular, adsorbent pore characteristics, surface chemistry interactions and production modes were compared with traditional methods. It was concluded that there are no best activating agents; rather, each agent reacts uniquely with a precursor, and the optimum choice depends on the target adsorbent. Natural chemicals can also be as effective as inorganic activating agents, and offer the advantages that they are usually safe, and readily available. The use of a microwave, as an innovative pyrolysis approach, can enhance the activation process within a duration of 1–4 h and temperature of 500–1200 °C, after which the yield and efficiency decline rapidly due to molecular breakdown. This study also examines the biomass milling process requirements; the influence of the dielectric properties, along with the effect of washing; and experimental setup challenges. The microwave setup system, biomass feed rate, product delivery, inert gas flow rate, reactor design and recovery lines are all important factors in the microwave activation process, and contribute to the overall efficiency of AC preparation. However, a major issue is a lack of large-scale industrial demonstration units for microwave technology.

Suggested Citation

  • Kalu Samuel Ukanwa & Kumar Patchigolla & Ruben Sakrabani & Edward Anthony & Sachin Mandavgane, 2019. "A Review of Chemicals to Produce Activated Carbon from Agricultural Waste Biomass," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(22), pages 1-35, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:22:p:6204-:d:284131
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    5. Abbas, Yasir & Yun, Sining & Wang, Ziqi & Zhang, Yongwei & Zhang, Xianmei & Wang, Kaijun, 2021. "Recent advances in bio-based carbon materials for anaerobic digestion: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 135(C).
    6. Abdullah, Rose Fadzilah & Rashid, Umer & Ibrahim, Mohd Lokman & Hazmi, Balkis & Alharthi, Fahad A. & Nehdi, Imededdine Arbi, 2021. "Bifunctional nano-catalyst produced from palm kernel shell via hydrothermal-assisted carbonization for biodiesel production from waste cooking oil," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    7. Csaba Fogarassy & Laszlo Toth & Marton Czikkely & David Christian Finger, 2019. "Improving the Efficiency of Pyrolysis and Increasing the Quality of Gas Production through Optimization of Prototype Systems," Resources, MDPI, vol. 8(4), pages 1-14, December.
    8. Syafiqa Ayob & Wahid Ali Hamood Altowayti & Norzila Othman & Faisal Sheikh Khalid & Shafinaz Shahir & Husnul Azan Tajarudin & Ammar Mohammed Ali Alqadasi, 2023. "Experimental and Modeling Study on the Removal of Mn, Fe, and Zn from Fiberboard Industrial Wastewater Using Modified Activated Carbon," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-23, April.
    9. Cristina Moliner & Simona Focacci & Beatrice Antonucci & Aldo Moreno & Simba Biti & Fazlena Hamzah & Alfonso Martinez-Felipe & Elisabetta Arato & Claudia Fernández Martín, 2022. "Production, Activation and CO 2 Uptake Capacity of a Carbonaceous Microporous Material from Palm Oil Residues," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(23), pages 1-12, December.
    10. Longfei Cui & Chaoyue Liu & Hui Liu & Wenke Zhao & Yaning Zhang, 2022. "Exergy Transfer Analysis of Biomass and Microwave Based on Experimental Heating Process," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.
    11. Mehdi Esmaeili Bidhendi & Zahra Poursorkh & Hassan Sereshti & Hamid Rashidi Nodeh & Shahabaldin Rezania & Muhammad Afzal Kamboh, 2020. "Nano-Size Biomass Derived from Pomegranate Peel for Enhanced Removal of Cefixime Antibiotic from Aqueous Media: Kinetic, Equilibrium and Thermodynamic Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(12), pages 1-15, June.
    12. Marcelina Sołtysik & Izabela Majchrzak-Kucęba & Dariusz Wawrzyńczak, 2022. "Bio-Waste as a Substitute for the Production of Carbon Dioxide Adsorbents: A Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(19), pages 1-23, September.
    13. Sekhon, Satpal Singh & Kaur, Prabhsharan & Park, Jin-Soo, 2021. "From coconut shell biomass to oxygen reduction reaction catalyst: Tuning porosity and nitrogen doping," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 147(C).

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