• Carbon letters
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.105-108
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• 2001

In this work, the activated carbons (ACs) with high micropores were synthesized from the polystyrene (PS) with KOH as activating agent. And the influence of activation temperature on porosity of the ACs studied was investigated. The porous structures of ACs were characterized by nitrogen adsorption at 77K using BET and D-R equations, and MP and BJH methods. The weight loss behaviors of the samples impregnated with KOH were also monitored using thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA). As a result, it was found that the samples could be successfully converted into ACs with well-developed micropores. From the results of pore size analysis, it was confirmed that elevated activation temperature does lead to the formation and deepening of microstructures without significant change in mesostructures. A thermogravimetric study showed that KOH could suppress the thermal decomposition of the sample, resulting in the increase of carbon yields.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2009.11a
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• pp.627-627
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• 2009

In this work, the activated carbons (ACs) with high porosity were synthesized from pitch by KOH chemical activation. The structure and surface properties of ACs were characterized by means of elemental analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS). And, the influence of the KOH-to-pitch ratio on the porosity of the ACs was investigated using the nitrogen adsorption isotherms at 77 K and a scanning electron microscopy (SEM). As a result, pitch could be successfully converted into ACs with well-developed micro and mesopores. The specific surface areas and pore volumes were increased with an increase of the KOH-to-pitch ratio. Furthermore, it was found that the addition of KOH led to the transformation of the micropores to the meso- and macropores. In the application to electric double layer capacitors (EDLC), the pitch-based ACs showed a higher capacitance per weight and per volume, and an excellent electrochemical stability in the high voltage region.

• Carbon letters
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.134-136
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• 2007

In this work, activated carbons (ACs) were prepared from polystyrene-based cation-exchangeable resin (PSI) by a chemical activation with KOH as an activating agent. The surface morphologies were observed by using SEM, and the textural properties were investigated by using nitrogen adsorption at 77 K. From the experimental results, it was found that the well-developed micro- and mesopores were produced by a chemical activation, and the textural properties including specific surface areas and pore volumes were greatly enhanced. The electrochemical behaviors of the ACs showed similar phenomena with that of textural properties. These results indicated that KOH activation played an important role in the changes of surface, and pore structures, resulting in enhancing the electrochemical properties of the ACs prepared in present work.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.13-21
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• 2006

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are widespread soil contaminants and major environmental concerns. PAHs have extremely low water solubility and are strongly sorbed to soil. A potential technology for remediation of PAHcontaminated soils is a soil washing with surfactant solutions. While the use of surfactants significantly enhances the performance of soil remediation, operation costs are increased. Selective adsorption of PAHs by activated carbons is proposed to reuse the surfactants in the soil-washing process. The adsorption isotherms of pure chemicals (Triton X-100 and phenanthrene) onto three granular activated carbons were obtained. The selective adsorption of phenanthrene in mixed solution was examined at various concentrations of phenanthrene and Triton X-100. The selectivity results were discussed with pore size distribution of activated carbons and molecular sizes of phenanthrene and the Triton X-100 monomer. The selectivity for phenanthrene was much larger than 1 regardless of the particle size of activated carbons. The selective adsorption using activated carbons with proper pore size distribution would greatly reduce the material cost for the soil washing process by the reuse of the surfactants.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.920-923
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• 1998

In this work, the adsorption characteristics of the activated carbon treated with 30 wt. %HCl and 30 wt. % NaOH were investigated. The acid and base values were determined by Boehm's method and the surface area and porosity was measured by BET-method with $N_2$-adsorption. Also, the adsorption characteristics of the activated carbons treated with acid and base chemical solutions were investigated with $CO_2$ and $NH_3$-adsorption. From which, relatively different adsorption behaviors of the modified activated carbons were observed in the amounts of $CO_2$ and $NH_3$ adsorptions, even though the physical surface structures of the activated carbons, such as specific surface area, pore size and pore volume, were not significantly changed.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.23 no.11
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• pp.1821-1826
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• 2014

The adsorption characteristics of the methylene blue (MB) were studied using three activated carbons such as ACA and ACB with similar specific surface area (1,185 and $1,105m^2/g$), and ACC with relatively high specific surface area ($1,760m^2/g$). The surface chemical properties of these activated carbons were investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results indicated that ACA had more functional groups (with phenol, carbonyl, and carboxyl etc.) than ACB (with carbonyl and carboxyl) and ACC (with carboxyl). The isotherm data were fitted well by Langmuir isotherm model. The adsorption capacities of ACA, ACB, and ACC for MB were 454.7 mg/g, 337.7 mg/g, and 414.0 mg/g, respectively. As phenol and carboxyl content of the surface on activated carbon increased, MB adsorption capacity was increased. Although ACA had a smaller specific surface area than ACC, the content of phenol and carboxyl group was abundant, so MB adsorption capacity was found to be higher than ACC.

• Carbon letters
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.97-104
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• 2006

The influence of carbon surface area, carbon-oxygen groups associated with the carbon surface and the solution pH on the adsorption of Pb(II) ions from aqueous solutions has been studied using three activated carbons. The adsorption isotherms are Type I of BET classification and the data obeys Langmuir adsorption equation. The BET surface area has little effect on the adsorption while it is strongly influenced by the presence of acidic carbon oxygen surface groups. The amount of these surface groups was enhanced by oxidation of the carbons with different oxidizing agents and reduced by eliminating these groups on degassing at different temperatures. The adsorption of Pb(II) ions increases on each oxidation and decreases on degassing the oxidized carbons. The increase in adsorption on oxidation has been attributed to the formation of acidic carbon-oxygen surface groups and the decrease to the elimination of these acidic surface groups on degassing. The adsorption is also influenced by the pH of the aqueous solution. The adsorption is only small at pH values lower than 3 but is considerably larger at higher pH values. Suitable mechanisms consistent with the adsorption data have been suggested.

• Carbon letters
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.55-61
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• 2004

Adsorption isotherms of p-nitrophenol from its aqueous solutions on two samples of activated carbon fibres and two samples of granulated activated carbons have been determined in the concentration range 40~800 mg/L (ppm). The surface of these carbons was modified by oxidation with nitric acid and oxygen gas, and by degassing the carbon surface under vacuum at temperatures of $400^{\circ}C$, $650^{\circ}C$ and $950^{\circ}C$. The oxidation of carbon enhances the amount of carbon-oxygen surface groups, while degassing decreases the amount of these surface groups. The adsorption of p-nitrophenol does not depend upon the surface area alone but appears to be influenced by the presence of oxygen groups on the carbon surface. The adsorption decreases on oxidation while the degassing of the carbon surface enhances the adsorption. The decrease in adsorption depends upon the strength of the oxidative treatment being much larger in case of the oxidation with nitric acid, while the decrease in adsorption on degassing depends upon the temperature of degassing. The results show that while the presence of acidic surface groups which are evolved as $CO_2$ on degassing suppress the adsorption of p-nitrophenol, the presence of non acidic surface groups which are evolved as CO on degassing tend to enhance the adsorption. Suitable mechanisms compatible with the results have been presented.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.11-17
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• 2010

Modifying surface of activated carbon for the electrode of EDLC with an organic electrolyte was investigated to improve the electrochemical performance of EDLC by the microwave radiation. Three kinds of activated carbons, prepared activated carbon from petroleum cokes and pitch cokes and commercial activated carbon BP-25, were used for this study. For all investigated activated carbons, hydrophilic functional groups-containing oxygen disappeared from the surface of activated carbon as microwave radiation. And as microwave radiation time was increased, the specific surface area and total pore volume of activated carbons were reduced and average pore diameter were increased. From theses effects, interfacial resistance of EDLC with the modified activated carbon electrode was drastically decreased, and discharge capacitance was increased although the specific surface area of activated carbon was reduced by this microwave radiation.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.19 no.12
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• pp.1403-1407
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• 2010

The adsorption characteristics of $CO_2$ gas on impregnated activated carbons with MEA (Mono-ethanolamine) and AMP (2-Amino 2-methyl 1-propanol) were studied to improve the adsorption ability of $CO_2$ gas on activated carbon. The equilibrium adsorption capacity of $CO_2$ gas was increased by increment of impregnation concentration up to 40 %, but decreased above 50 %. The adsorption capacity of activated carbon impregnated with AMP was higher than activated carbon impregnated with MEA. The breakthrough was fast according to increment of inlet concentration of $CO_2$ gas.