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Iron Oxide Nanoparticles Embedded in Activated Carbons Prepared from Hydrothermally Treated Waste Biomass
Author(s) -
Hao Wenming,
Björkman Eva,
Yun Yifeng,
Lilliestråle Malte,
Hedin Niklas
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
chemsuschem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.412
H-Index - 157
eISSN - 1864-564X
pISSN - 1864-5631
DOI - 10.1002/cssc.201300912
Subject(s) - carbonization , activated carbon , biomass (ecology) , mesoporous material , nanoparticle , catalysis , iron oxide , chemical engineering , carbon fibers , materials science , hydrothermal carbonization , oxide , chemistry , adsorption , organic chemistry , nanotechnology , composite material , oceanography , composite number , engineering , geology
Particles of iron oxide (Fe 3 O 4 ; 20–40 nm) were embedded within activated carbons during the activation of hydrothermally carbonized (HTC) biomasses in a flow of CO 2 . Four different HTC biomass samples (horse manure, grass cuttings, beer production waste, and biosludge) were used as precursors for the activated carbons. Nanoparticles of iron oxide formed from iron catalyst included in the HTC biomasses. After systematic optimization, the activated carbons had specific surface areas of about 800 m 2 g −1 . The pore size distributions of the activated carbons depended strongly on the degree of carbonization of the precursors. Activated carbons prepared from highly carbonized precursors had mainly micropores, whereas those prepared from less carbonized precursors contained mainly mesopores. Given the strong magnetism of the activated carbon–nano‐Fe 3 O 4 composites, they could be particularly useful for water purification.