Natural Mesoporous Activated Carbon from Toxic Plant Stellera Chamaejasme Roots by Chemical Methods

Stellera chamaejasme,widely distributed on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau,is a poisonous plant causing serious harm to grassland.Activated carbons have been prepared from the roots of Stellera chamaejasme via phosphoric acid and zinc chloride activation at500°C for 60 min with an impregnation ratio of 3:1.Yield(25.1%-27.6%),ash(4.5%-4.9%),methylene blue(195.0 mg/g-254.5 mg/g),iodine value(720.4 mg/g-810.5 mg/g),specific surface area(1023.3 m2/g-1216.7 m2/g),specific pore volume(2.13 cm3/g-2.26 cm3/g),mesopore volume(1.30 cm3/g-1.59 cm3/g)and average pore size(5.88nm-7.45 nm)of the products were determined.The results from both the zinc chloride and phosphoric acid activation processes showed that the activated carbons of S.chamaejasme roots exhibit a characterization of natural developed mesopores.