Comparison of Chemical Activation Methods for Sorbent Production from Petroleum Coking Additive

Abstract

Carbon sorbents may be produced by chemical activation of petroleum coking additive. To optimize this process and reduce costs, the performance of different chemical activators is compared. Low-temperature nitrogen adsorption–desorption is used to study the textural characteristics of the products, including the specific surface (determined by the BET method), the total pore volume, the micropore volume, and the size distribution of the pores. The adsorption of methylene blue and iodine by the products is studied. Sorbents with higher mesopore content may be obtained if hybrid systems are used—in particular, mixtures of alkaline activators with templating agents.