Preparation of Activated Carbon from Calophyllum inophyllum Seed Using Different Activating Agents: Comparison Study

Activated carbon (AC) was successfully prepared from Calophyllum inophyllum seed using HNO3 and HCl as activating agents. Type of raw materials that used in this experiment were seed and charcoal of C.inophyllum. Seed was activated then carbonized. C.inophyllum charcoal was produced from C.inophyllum seed that was burned then it was activated before carbonizing process. All experiments were accomplished at 500 degrees C. The effect of the type of raw materials and activating agents on the yields and the properties of activated carbons were investigated with FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy). High percentage yield was showed by AC with HCl activator (57.92 %) from charcoal. The AC from seed with HCl activator showed 12.00 % yield. Whereas AC from seed and charcoal with HNO3 activator showed the percentage yield of 54.19% and 19.06 %, respectively. FTIR spectra showed several functional groups such as alkenes, aromatic and ethers in seed, charcoal and all AC. These functional groups were compared to commercial AC. Conductivity of the AC was measured by Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS). The best conductivity was shown by AC seed 6.97 x 10(-9) S.cm(-1) using HCl 37% as activating agent.