Insights into properties of activated carbons prepared from different raw precursors by pyrophosphoric acid activation

Low-cost activated carbons (ACs) were prepared from four kinds of solid wastes: petroleum coke, Enteromorpha prolifera, lignin from papermaking black liquid and hair, by pyrophosphoric acid (H₄P₂O₇) activation. Thermo-gravimetric analysis of the pyrolysis of H₄P₂O₇-precursor mixtures implied that H₄P₂O₇ had different influences on the pyrolysis behavior of the four raw materials. N₂ adsorption/desorption isotherms, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and adsorption capacities for dyes were used to characterize the prepared activated carbons. AC derived from E. prolifera exhibited the highest surface area (1094 m²/g) and maximum monolayer adsorption capacity for malachite green (1250 mg/g). Kinetic studies showed that the experimental data were in agreement with the pseudo-second-order model. The adsorption isotherms were well described by the Langmuir isotherm model, indicating the adsorption of dye onto the ACs proceeded by monolayers.