Preparation and characterization of activated carbon from sunflower seed oil residue via microwave assisted K2CO3 activation

Sunflower seed oil residue, a by-product of sunflower seed oil refining, was utilized as a feedstock for preparation of activated carbon (SSHAC) via microwave induced K2CO3 chemical activation. SSHAC was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, nitrogen adsorption–desorption and elemental analysis. Surface acidity/basicity was examined with acid–base titration, while the adsorptive properties of SSHAC were quantified using methylene blue (MB) and acid blue 15 (AB). The monolayer adsorption capacities of MB and AB were 473.44 and 430.37 mg/g, while the Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area, Langmuir surface area and total pore volume were 1411.55 m2/g, 2137.72 m2/g and 0.836 cm3/g, respectively. The findings revealed the potential to prepare high surface area activated carbon from sunflower seed oil residue by microwave irradiation.