Materials Research (Dec 2008)

Natural gas storage in microporous carbon obtained from waste of the olive oil production

  • Cecilia Solar,
  • Fabiana Sardella,
  • Cristina Deiana,
  • Rochel Montero Lago,
  • Andrea Vallone,
  • Karim Sapag

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1590/S1516-14392008000400005
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11, no. 4
pp. 409 – 414

Abstract

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A series of activated carbons (AC) were prepared from waste of the olive oil production in the Cuyo Region, Argentine by two standard methods: a) physical activation by steam and b) chemical activation with ZnCl2. The AC samples were characterized by nitrogen adsorption at 77 K and evaluated for natural gas storage purposes through the adsorption of methane at high pressures. The activated carbons showed micropore volumes up to 0.50 cm³.g-1 and total pore volumes as high as 0.9 cm³.g-1. The BET surface areas reached, in some cases, more than 1000 m².g-1. The methane adsorption -measured in the range of 1-35 bar- attained values up to 59 V CH4/V AC and total uptakes of more than 120 cm³.g-1 (STP). These preliminary results suggest that Cuyo's olive oil waste is appropriate for obtaining activated carbons for the storage of natural gas.

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