EFFECT OF KOH AND H2SO4 ACTIVATION AGENT IN MICROWAVE ULTRASONIC ACTIVATION PROCESS OF ACTIVATED CARBON

Abstract

Microwave ultrasonic (MW-ultrasonic) has considerable as one of the interest alternative method to enhance the performance of Bamboo Activated Carbon (BAC). In the present study, BAC was activated using two types of chemical agent which are KOH and H₂SO₄ in different of microwave (MW) power (100W, 300W, 500W) at retention time of 30 min and 60 min soaking time. While the carbonization process was conducted at temperature 400 ºC, 600 ºC and 800 ºC. The BAC sample was analyzed using Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM) for morphology structure analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) for functioning group analysis, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) for materials phase analysis and Brunauer, Emmett and Teller (BET) for active surface area determination. It is desired to produce BAC that has a higher active surface area for industrial application. The result showed that activation with KOH at microwave power of 300W gave active surface area of 922.72 m²/g. While with H₂SO₄ as activating agent the active surface area obtained was 1025.27 m²/g at MW power of 300W. The results indicated that MW-ultrasonic activation using chemical agents is capable to enhance active surface area for BAC.