Preparation and Characterization of Activated Carbon from Pandanus candelabrum Stem

Pandanus candelabrum stem, a new precursor, was used to synthesise activate carbon. The effect of sodium hydroxide, NaOH, zinc (II) chloride, ZnCl2 and phosphoric acid, H3PO4, different agents on prepared adsorbents was investigated. The adsorbents were prepared with chemical agents and carbonized at 400 oC for 1 hour. Surface morphology, elemental composition and functional groups were analysed with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), respectively. The image analysis showed the presence of both micropores and mesopores in the adsorbents. The H3PO4 activated carbon had the maximum surface area (2648 m2/g), pore volume (1.683 cm3/g) and highest adsorption for iodine and methylene blue were 541 and 105 mg/g. Pandanus candelabrum stem is an alternative material that can be used to synthesis high porous adsorbent because is abundant, easy to access, inexpensive and readily available.   Keywords: Activated, adsorption, iodine number, methylene blue, Pandanus candelabrum, reagents