Preparation and characterization of bamboo-based activated carbon by phosphoric acid activation

Activated carbons were prepared from bamboo by phosphoric acid activation.Samples were characterized by N 2 adsorption,Boehm titration,gas chromatograph-mass spectrometry,Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy.The adsorption capacity,specific surface area,pore structure,surface functional groups and microstructure of the bamboobased activated carbon w ere compared w ith those of coconut shell-based activated carbon prepared by steam activation.Results show ed that both activated carbons had almost similar acetate adsorption capacities,specific surface area and pore structure.Besides, the bamboo-based activated carbon had many more carboxyl,phenolic hydroxyl, P O,P—O— C and P OOH groups than the coconut shell-based activated carbon.