Production and characterization of activated carbons from neem bark (Azadirachta indica)

The acquisition of activated carbon on the market remains a major concern for developing countries due to its non-availability on a large scale. The objective of this work is to determine the physical and chemical characteristics of activated carbons produced from neem bark for use. The preparation of activated carbons was carried out using the chemical method with phosphoric acid (H3PO4) as the activating agent at different concentrations. In order to evaluate the performance of these activated carbons, various parameters have been determined. Thus, the BET method by nitrogen adsorption was used to determine the specific surface area. The t-plot and BJH methods provided knowledge of the pore volumes of the different carbons. The pore topography and the elemental composition were determined by the SEM-EDS method. The surface functions were determined using the Boehm method. The preparation resulted in the carbons CA 25, CA 30 and CA 60. The specific surface area values obtained ranged from 305.10 to 666.38 m(2)/g. Also, the results indicate a large number of pores on the surface of the carbons with volumes evolving with the increase in H3PO4 concentration. The results also indicate the acidic nature of the surface of each carbon. All these results show that the carbons produced from neem bark have very good characteristics for use in water treatment.