Mesoporous Composite Materials from Acivated Rice Husk Carbon and Montmorillonite

Abstract

Three different carbons were prepared from rice husk by steam activation at 700 ºC, H3PO4-activation followed by desilication or desilication followed by H3PO4-activation at 500 ºC. Honeycomb monoliths were obtained by mixing of a carbon with montmorillonite followed by extrusion, curing, calcination and leaching by alkaline solution. Obtained blocks were compared in terms of their morphology and elemental composition using data of SEM/EDX-analysis. From low temperature nitrogen adsorption study results it follows that prepared monoliths are characterized by SBET up to 700 m2/g (Vz = 0.79 cm3/g) and pore size distribution shows the maximum around 4 nm. Methylene blue number is as high as 250 mg/g.