Synthesis of activated carbon in the presence of hydrochar from chickpea stalk and its characterization

In this study, hydrochar was obtained from chickpea stalk by hydrothermal method. Then, activated carbon was synthesized by chemical activation method using ZnCl₂ activator in the presence of this hydrochar. The effects of parameters such as impragnation rate (hydrochar/ZnCl₂), impragnation rate, activation temperature and activation time on activated carbon synthesis were investigated. The iodine number of the obtained activated carbon was determined and its characterization was performed by SEM, BET, FTIR measurements. It was determined that the highest iodine number of synthesized activated carbon was 734 mg/g under conditions of impragnation time (24 hour), impragnation rate (1/2), activation temperature (400^oC), and activation time (45 minutes). The BET surface area of the activated carbon with the highest iodine number was determined as 572 m²/g. The methylene blue number of synthesized activated carbon and hydrochar were found as 105 mg/g and 45 mg/g, respectively.