Dear Herbert Chiwalo Bolokonya,

Activated carbon can produced from bamboo residues using carbonisation and steam activation in a high temperature reactor

or

by adopting a physico chemical method of activation using KOH as well as CO2 as activating agents at an activation temperature of 1000+ K

or

by simultaneous chemical and physical activations, and named H3PO4/H2OAC

or

by using KOH activation method at 1000+ K in Ar atmosphere, and many more methods.

Research articles on Few Different Standard methods to produce activated carbon from bamboos.

01. https://www.jstor.org/stable/23617055

02. http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0104-77602017000100123

03. http://www.terrapreta.bioenergylists.org/files/Training%20Manual.pdf

04. https://nccr.iitm.ac.in/e%20book-Carbon%20Materials%20final.pdf

I hope I have answered your question.

With Best Wishes,

Samir G. Pandya

Dear Herbert,

You can submit bamboo to either physical or chemical activation. Physical activation is a 2 steps method and proceeds by a partial gasification of the previously pyrolyzed precursor. Chemical activation can be done (i) at moderate temperatures, 450-600°C, by H3PO4 or ZnCl2 or; (ii) at temperatures higher than 750°C by KOH or NaOH activation. Chemical activation requires extensive washing and this is the mayor inconvenient from my point of view. KOH or NaOH activation allows surfaces higher that 2200 m2/g and the ash content after washing is largely reduced although the activated carbon yield could be lower than 10% in bamboo mass basis.

I hope that helped you. With best regards and wishes for the New Year,

Vanessa

Dear Herbert,

Physical and chemical activation methods are used for producing activated carbons as mentioned in the above answers. You would need to play with the activation conditions such as activating agent concentration, activation temperature and soaking time. In the end it all comes down to your final application for the material which would depend on the pore size distribution. Personally, I have found some biomasses to produce highly microporous carbon (nearly 1000 m2/g) just by high temperature carbonization (at 900oC) and you will obtain higher carbon yield as well. To achieve higher surface area you will need to use activating agents. Again, you will need to optimize the conditions to achieve your required pore size distribution.

Generally, as non- standarized material, hydrothermal carbonization and pyrolysis are available for developing activated carbon from bamboos. You'd better to try for figuring our which way is better. And compared with physical activation, chemical activation is preferred, making the surface area of over 2000 m2/g and the micropore. The KOH is considered one promising activation agent compared with others.

Hope it is useful to you.