Utilization of cassava peel waste in the preparation of activated carbon by chemical activators of KOH and NaOH

Abstract

Cassava peel is a source of raw material which is quite potential to be used to make activated carbon. The purpose of this study is to produce quality activated carbon, which will be used as an adsorbent. The stages in the manufacture of activated carbon based on cassava peel are carbonization, chemical activation, and physics activation. Carbonization of activated carbon is carried out at a temperature of 500 °C. Then activated by chemistry by KOH or NaOH. After that, the physical displacement is carried out by flowing N2 gas for 1 hour during a temperature increase of up to 750 °C. then after reaching 750 °C temperatures CO2 gas is flowed for 1.5 hours. The results showed that activation with KOH activator produced activated carbon better than using NaOH activator. The use of KOH as an activator produces an iodine number of 721 mg/g during the physics activation of 750 °C. Meanwhile, if the activator of NaOH substance produces an iodine number of 457 mg/g.