Characterization of mesoporous carbon prepared from date stems by H3PO4 chemical activation

The present work was focused on the determination of texture, morphology, crystanillity and oxygenated surface groups characteristics of an activated carbon prepared from date stems. Chemical activation of this precursor at different temperatures (450, 550 and 650 °C) was adopted using phosphoric acid as dehydrating agent at (2/1) impregnation ratio. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy study was carried out to identify surface groups in date stems activated carbons. The microscopic structure was examined by nitrogen adsorption at 77 K. The interlayer spacing (d200 and d100), stack height (Lc), stack width (La) and effective dimension L of the turbostratic crystallites (microcrystallite) in the date stems activated carbons were estimated from X-ray diffraction data (XRD). Results yielded a surface area, SBET, and total pore volume of 682, 1455, 1319 m2/g and 0,343, 1,045 and 0.735 cm3/g, for the carbon prepared at 450, 550 and 650 °C, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy exhibits a highly developed porosity which is in good agreement with the porous texture derived from gas adsorption data and these results confirm that the activated carbon is dominated by network of slit-shaped mesopores morphology and in some cases by varied micropores morphologies.