Open AccessChemical Activation of a South African Coal using Phosphoric Acid
Author(s) -
François Botha,
B. McEnaney
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
adsorption science and technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.682
H-Index - 36
eISSN - 2048-4038
pISSN - 0263-6174
DOI - 10.1177/0263617499010001-417
Subject(s) - phosphoric acid , chemistry , coal , adsorption , activated carbon , microporous material , porosimetry , maceral , nitric acid , carbon fibers , inorganic chemistry , nuclear chemistry , porosity , organic chemistry , materials science , porous medium , composite number , composite material
The potential of a South African coal, Bosjesspruit, as a precursor for a phosphoric acid-activated carbon has been assessed using the adsorption of nitrogen at 77 K and mercury porosimetry. Column cleaning of the coal by froth flotation reduced the ash content from 22 to 12 wt.% and caused maceral separtion, resulting in an intertinite-rich product. Reaction of the column-cleaned coal with phosphoric acid in the range 450–550°C produced an activated carbon which was dominantly microporous. The notional BET surface area of the coal reached a maximum of 600 m 2 /g at a reaction temperature of 550°C.