Thermal conversion of a novel biomass agricultural residue (vine shoots) into activated carbon using activation with CO2

The use of a novel biomass precursor (vine shoot) for the production of activated carbons (ACs) via carbon dioxide activation is reported. The carbons produced are all essentially microporous with apparent BET surface area and micropore volume up to 1173 m2 g−1 and 0.53 cm3 g−1, respectively. By XRD it was possible to identify in the activated carbon samples the presence of traces of inorganic heteroatoms such as Fe, Si, Al, K and Pb. All activated carbons produced have basic characteristics with point of zero charge always higher than 9.24. By FTIR it was possible to identify the formation on the activated carbonʹs surface of several functional groups, namely hydroxyls (free and phenol), ethers, quinones, lactones, pyrones and Si–H bonds.