Photocatalytic activity and kinetics for acid yellow degradation over surface composites of TiO_2-coated activated carbon under different photocatalytic conditions

TiO2-coated activated carbon surface （TAs） composites were prepared by a sol-gel method with supercritical pretreatment. The photocatalytic degradation of acid yellow （AY） was investigated under UV radiation to estimate activity of catalysts and determine the kinetics. And the effects of parameters including the initial concentration of AY, light intensity and TiO2 content in catalysts were examined. The results indicate that TAs has a higher efficiency in decomposition of AY than P25, pure TiO2 particles as well as the mixture of TiO2 powder and active carbon. The photocatalytic degradation rate is found to follow the pseudo-first order kinetics with respect to the AY concentration. The new kinetic model fairly resembles the classic Langmuir-Hinshelwood equation, and the rate constant is proportional to the square root of the light intensity in a wide range. However, its absorption performance depends on the surface areas of catalysts. The model fits quite well with the experimental data and elucidates phenomena about the effects of the TiO2 content in TAs on the degradation rate.

Science Letters:Nitrogen doping of activated carbon loading Fe_2O_3 and activity in carbon-nitric oxide reaction

Nitrogen doping of activated carbon loading Fe2O3 was performed by annealing in ammonia, and the activity of the modified carbon for NO reduction was studied in the presence of oxygen. Results show that Fe2O3 enhances the amount of surface oxygen complexes and facilitates nitrogen incorporation in the carbon, especially in the form of pyridinic nitrogen. The modified carbon shows excellent activity for NO reduction in the low temperature regime （〈500℃） because of the cooperative effect of Fe2O3 and the surface nitrogen species.

Effects of the Different Supports on the Activity and Selectivity of Iron-Cobalt Bimetallic Catalyst for Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis

Silica, alumina, and activated carbon supported iron-cobalt catalysts were prepared by incipient wetness impregnation. These catalysts have been characterized by BET, X-ray diffraction （XRD）, and temperature-programmed reduction （TPR）. Activity and selectivity of iron-cobalt supported on different carriers for CO hydrogenation were studied under the conditions of 1.5 MPa, 493 K, 630 h^-1, and H2/CO ratio of 1.6. The results indicate that the activity, C4 olefin/（C4 olefin＋C4 paraffin） ratio, and C5 olefin/（C5 olefin＋C5 paraffin） decrease in the order of Fe-Co/SiO2, Fe-Co/AC1, Fe-Co/Al2O3 and Fe- Co/AC2. The activity of Fe-Co/SiO2 reached a maximum. The results of TPR show that the Fe-Co/SiO2 catalyst is to some extent different. XRD patterns show that the Fe-Co/SiO2 catalyst differs significantly from the others; it has two diffraction peaks. The active spinel phase is correlated with the supports.

Effect of Activated Carbon as a Support on Metal Dispersion and Activity ofRuthenium Catalyst for Ammonia Synthesis

Ten kinds of activated carbon from different raw materials were used as supports to prepare ruthenium catalysts. N_2 physisorption and CO chemisorption were carried out to investigate the pore size distribution and the ruthenium dispersion of the catalysts. It was found that the Ru dispersion of the catalyst was closely related to not only the texture of carbon support but also the purity of activated carbon. The activities of a series of the carbon-supported barium-promoted Ru catalysts for ammonia synthesis were measured at 425 ℃, 10 0 MPa and 10 000 h -1. The result shows that the same raw material activated carbon, with a high purity, high surface area, large pore volume and reasonable pore size distribution might disperse ruthenium and promoter sufficiently, which activated carbon as support, could be used to manufacture ruthenium catalyst with a high activity for ammonia synthesis. The different raw material activated carbon as the support would greatly influence the catalytic properties of the ruthenium catalyst for ammonia synthesis. For example, with coconut shell carbon(AC1) as the support, the ammonia concentration in the effluent was 13 17% over 4%Ru-BaO/AC1 catalyst, while with the desulfurized coal carbon(AC10) as the support, that in the effluent was only 1 37% over 4%Ru-BaO/AC10 catalyst.

Organic carbon isotope and pollen evidence for mangrove development and response to human activity in Guangxi(Southwest China) over the last 140 years

Mangrove degradation must reduce carbon sequestration in recent years, thereby aggravating global warming.Thus, short-term impacts of human activity on mangrove ecosystems are cause for concern from local governments and scientists. Mangroves sediments can provide detailed records of mangrove species variation in the last one hundred years, based on detailed 210 Pb data. The study traced the history of mangrove development and its response to environmental change over the last 140 years in two mangrove swamps of Guangxi, Southwest China. Average sedimentation rates were calculated to be 0.48 cm/a and 0.56 cm/a in the Yingluo Bay and the Maowei Sea, respectively. Chemical indicators（δ13Corg and C：N） were utilized to trace the contribution of mangrove-derived organic matter（MOM） using a ternary mixing model. Simultaneous use of mangrove pollen can help to supplement some of these limitations in diagenetic/overlap of isotopic signatures. We found that vertical distribution of MOM was consistent with mangrove pollen, which could provide similar information for tracing mangrove ecosystems. Therefore, mangrove development was reconstructed and divided into three stages： flourishing, degradation and re-flourishing/re-degradation period. The significant degradation, found in the period of 1968–1998 and 1907–2007 in the Yingluo Bay and the Maowei Sea, respectively, corresponding to a rapid increase of reclamation area and seawall length, rather than climate change as recorded in the region.

Long-term agricultural activity affects anthropogenic soil on the Chinese Loess Plateau

Anthropogenic activities largely influence the soil quality of agricultural fields and the composition of soil. Samples of typical anthropogenic Loutu soil in the Guanzhong area of the Loess Plateau, Shaanxi Province, China were collected and measured for soil compaction, bulk density, total organic carbon（TOC）, active organic carbon（AOC）, and soil enzyme activities to investigate spatial variations in soil quality. The results indicate that soil compaction and bulk density increased with increasing distance from the farm village, whereas soil TOC, AOC, and soil enzyme activities firstly increased and subsequently decreased with increasing distance from the farm village. All of the tested parameters presented clear concentric distribution. Vertically, soil compaction and bulk density in the topsoil were lower than those in the subsoil, but all other tested parameters in the topsoil were significantly higher than those in the subsoil. In addition, there was a significant positive correlation between organic carbon content and enzyme activities, confirming that the spatial distribution of Loutu soil characteristics has been affected by long-term anthropogenic activities to some extent. The results of this study imply that the use of farmyard manure and appropriate deep plowing are important and effective ways to maintain and improve soil quality.

Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity of C-TiO_2 Thin Films Prepared by Magnetron Sputtering and Post-carbon Ion Implantation

TiO2 thin films were fabricated by RF magnetron sputtering on titanium substrates and then implanted with different amounts of carbon. The microstructure, valence states and optical characteristics of each sample were investigated by X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and UV-vis diffuse reflection spectroscopy. Photoelectric property was evaluated under visible light using a xenon lamp as illuminant. The experimental results indicate that the implanting carbon concentration has a significant infl uence on film＇s micro structure and element valence states. The dominant valence states of carbon vary as carbon content increases. Carbon ion implantation remarkably enhances the current density and photocatalytic capability of TiO2 thin films. The optimized implanting content is 9.83×10^17 ion/cm^2, which gives rise to a 150% increased photocurrent and degradation rate.

PREPARATION AND THEIR ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF ACTIVATED CARBON FIBER CONTAINING SILVER

Several kinds of activated carbon fiber（ACF）, Granule Activated carbon（AC） containing silver ion or fine silver particle(Ag-ACF/AC) have been prepared by soaking ACF or AC in the salt solution of silver. Ag, AgCl and AgI compounds have been loaded onto the fibers. The structure of the fibers was measured by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and powder X-ray diffraction (XRD). The Ag content in the fiber was obtained by an Atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). The Ag+ content in water after the antibacterial test was measured by an Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) emission spectroscopy. Antibacterial test was carried out against Escherichia coli (E.coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S.aureus). The results show that Ag-ACF/AC have strong antibacterial activity against E.coli and S.aureus. After dealt with ACF/AC loading Ag, AgCl, AgI, no E.coli and S.aureus alive in solution can be detected. The analysis of Ag content in water after antibacterial test showed that the content of Ag meet the quality requirement of the National Potable Water Standard. It is indicated that ACF/AC-Ag in this experiment would be a safe antibacterial agent .

Essential Oil from Inula britannica Extraction with SF-CO_2 and Its Antifungal Activity

The aim of this study was to determine the extraction technique of supercritical fluid carbon dioxide（SF-CO 2） for the essential oil from Inula britannica flowers and its antifungal activities against plant pathogenic fungi for its potential application as botanical fungicide.The effects of factors,including extraction temperature,extraction pressure,SF-CO 2 flow rate,flower powder size,and time on the essential oil yield were studied using the single factor experiment.An orthogonal experiment was conducted to determine the best operating conditions for the maximum extraction oil yield.Adopting the optimum conditions,the maximum yield reached 10.01% at 40°C temperature,30 MPa pressure,60 mesh flower powder size,20 L h-1SF-CO 2 flow rate,and 90 min extraction time.The antifungal activities of I.britannica essential oil using the SF-CO 2 against the most important plant pathogenic fungi were also examined through in vitro and in vivo tests.Sixteen plant pathogenic fungi were inhibited to varying degrees at 1 mg mL-1concentration of the essential oil.The mycelial growth of Gaeumannomyces graminis var.tritici was completely inhibited.The radial growths of Phytophthora capsici and Fusarium monilifome were also inhibited by 83.76 and 64.69%,respectively.In addition,the essential oil can inhibit the spore germination of Fusarium oxysporum f.sp.vasinfectum,Phytophthora capsici,Colletotrichum orbiculare,and Pyricularia grisea,and the corresponding inhibition rates were 98.26,96.54,87.89,and 87.35% respectively.The present study has demonstrated that the essential oil of I.britannica flowers extracted through the SF-CO 2 technique is one potential and promising antifungal agent that can be used as botanical fungicide to protect crops.

EFFECT OF CARBON ACTIVITY IN MATRIX ON DYNAMICS OF CARBIDE DIFFUSION COATING

The increase of thickness of carbide layer during carbide diffusion coating is proportional to the root of carbon activity in various steels. Thus it was demonstrated that the controlling fac- tor of the dynamics of carbide layer growth is carbon activity in steel matrix, but not carbon concentration.

Characterization and Functionalisation of Activated Carbon for the Enhancement of Enzyme Catalyst Activity

Background and objective:Activated carbon is commonly used as an immobilisation matrix due to its large surface area,making it a highly desirable matrix for use in immobilising enzymes as preparation for use on the industrial scale.The objective of this research is to determine the effectiveness of different acids for functionalisation on immobilisation capacity and also to characterize the functionalized activated carbon for the functional groups present.Materials and methods:Activated carbon was functionalised with three acids(hydrochloric acid,nitric acid and sulphuric acid)along with a control sample washed with distilled water.Immobilisation capacity was calculated with hydrochloric acid functionalized activated carbon(HCl-FAC)giving the highest immobilization capacity(6.022 U/g).Characterisation of the functionalised activated carbon was conducted using FT-IR(Fourier Transform Infra-Red)spectroscopy analysis of the samples with the aim of analyzing the various functional groups present to determine the sample with distinct characteristics thus telling the degree of adsorption of lipase onto the activated carbon powder.Results:HNO3-FAC(functionalized activated carbon)showed a very distinct pattern as a larger number of surface functional groups emerged.The immobilisation on a matrix ensures thermal stability and increased reusability of the enzyme.Therefore,in this research,lipase sourced from Candida antarctica was immobilised on acid functionalised activated carbon.The best acid for functionalisation was found to be hydrochloric acid.Conclusion:Due to the very distinct patterns shown by the FT-IR spectrum of the HNO3-FAC after a fair comparison with others,it allows for a larger number of surface functional groups which will definitely enhance the stability of the enzyme lipase.

STUDIES ON THE PREPARATION OF ZINC-CONTAINING ACTIVATED CARBON FIBERS AND THEIR ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY

Several kinds of activated carbon fibers, using sisal fiber as precursors, were prepared with steam activation or with ZnCl2 activation. Zinc or its compounds were dispersed in them. The antibacterial activities of these activated carbon fibers were determined and compared. The research results showed that these sisal based activated carbon fibers supporting zinc have stronger antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and S. aureus. The antibacterial activity is related to the precursors, the pyrolysis temperature, and the zinc content. In addition, small quantity of silver supported on zinc-containing ACFs will greatly enhance the antibacterial activity of ACFs.

High adsorption selectivity of activated carbon and carbon molecular sieve boosting CO_(2)/N_(2) and CH_(4)/N_(2) separation

Flue gas and coal bed methane are two important sources of greenhouse gases.Pressure swing adsorption process has a wide range of application in the field of gas separation,and the selection of adsorbent is crucial.In this regard,in order to assess the better adsorbent for separating CO_(2) from flue gas and CH_(4) from coal bed methane,adsorption isotherms of CO_(2),CH_(4) and N_(2) on activated carbon and carbon molecular sieve are measured at 303.15,318.15 and 333.15 K,and up to 250 kPa.The experimental data fit better with Langmuir 2 compared to Langmuir 3 and Langmuir-Freundlich models,and Clausius-Clapeyron equation was used to calculate the isosteric heat.Both the order of the adsorbed amount and the adsorption heat on the two adsorbents are CO_(2)>CH_(4)>N_(2).The adsorption kinetics are calculated by the pseudo-first kinetic model,and the order of adsorption rates on activated carbon is N_(2)-CH_(4)>CO_(2),while on carbon molecular sieve,it is CO_(2)-N_(2)>CH_(4).It is shown that relative molecular mass and adsorption heat are the primary effect on kinetics for activated carbon,while kinetic diameter is the main resistance factor for carbon molecular sieve.Moreover,the adsorption selectivity of CH_(4)/N_(2) and CO_(2)/N_(2) were estimated with the ideal adsorption solution theory,and carbon molecular sieve performed best at 318.15 K for both CO_(2) and CH_(4) separation.The study suggested that activated carbon is a better choice for separating flue gas and carbon molecular sieve can be a strong candidate for separating coal bed methane.

Mechanical Property and Microstructure of Cement Mortar with Carbonated Recycled Powder

Carbonated recycled powder as cementitious auxiliary material can reduce carbon emissions and realize high-quality recycling of recycled concrete.In this paper,microscopic property of recycled powder with three carbonation methods was tested through XRD and SEM,the mechanical property and microstructure of recycled powder mortar with three replacement rates were studied by ISO method and SEM,and the strengthening mechanism was analyzed.The results showed that the mechanical property of recycled powder mortar decreased with the increasing of replacement rate.It is suggested that the replacement rate of recycled powder should not exceed 20%.The strength index and activity index of carbonated recycled powder mortar were improved,in which the flexural strength was increased by 27.85%and compressive strength was increased by 20%at the maximum.Recycled powder can be quickly and completely carbonated,and the improvement effect of CH pre-soaking carbonation was the best.The activity index of carbonated recycled powder can meet the requirements of Grade II technical standard for recycled powder.Microscopic results revealed the activation mechanism of carbonated recycled powder such as surplus calcium source effect,alkaline polycondensation effect and carbonation enhancement effect.

Electromagnetic wave absorption performance of Fe_(3)O_(4)/activated carbon-natural resin nanocomposite

There has recently been a fundamental need to develop high efficiency microwave absorbers to reduce electro-magnet-ic pollution.It is often very difficult to obtain superior absorption with only one material,so we have explored composites using fillers of activated carbon derived from biological material(oleaster seeds)and resin(apricot tree gum)with Fe_(3)O_(4) in a paraffin wax matrix to improve the dielectric properties and achieve a high specific surface area.A 1 mm thick layer of a Fe_(3)O_(4)+resin(FEOR),with the magnetic nanoparticles anchored to the gum,resulted in a reflection loss of−71.09 dB.We compared this with the results for composites using a filler of Fe_(3)O_(4)+activated carbon,and one with a three-component filler of Fe_(3)O_(4)+activated carbon+resin which had a very porous structure that had a direct effect on the surface polarization.However,the FEOR sample had near-ideal im-pedance matching,close to 1,which resulted in high absorption performance.In addition,the presence of defects improves mi-crowave attenuation by dipole polarization and charge carrier trapping.This work suggests the use of new types of biomaterials to in-crease microwave absorption.

Ultra-high specific surface area activated carbon from Taihu cyanobacteria via KOH activation for enhanced methylene blue adsorption

Cyanobacteria-based activated carbon(CBAC)was successfully prepared by pyrolysis-activation of Taihu cyanobacteria.When the impregnation ratio and activated temperature were 2 and 800-C,respectively,the optimal CBACs possessed an ultra-high specific surface(2178.90 m^(2)·g^(-1))and plenty of micro-and meso-pores,as well as a high pore volume(1.01 cm^(3)·g^(-1)).Ascribed to ultra-high surface area,π-π interaction,electrostatic interaction,as well as hydrogen-bonding interactions,the CBACs displayed huge superiority in efficient dye removal.The saturated methylene blue adsorption capacity by CBACs could be as high as 1143.4 mg·g^(-1),superior to that of other reported biomass-activated carbons.The adsorption was endothermic and modeled well by the pseudo-second-order kinetic,intra-particle diffusion,and Langmuir models.This work presented the effectiveness of Taihu cyanobacteria adsorbent ascribed to its super large specific surface area and high adsorption ability.

Rice Husk at a Glance:From Agro-Industrial to Modern Applications

Excessive waste production has led to the concept of a circular bioeconomy to deliver valuable by-products and improve environmental sustainability.The annual worldwide rice production accounts for more than 750 million tons of grain and 150 million tons of husk.Rice husk(RH)contains valuable biomaterials with extensive applications in various fields.The proportions of each component depend primarily on rice genotype,soil chemistry,and climatic conditions.RH and its derivatives,including ash,biochar,hydrochar,and activated carbon have been placed foreground of applications in agriculture and other industries.While the investigation on RH’s compositions,microstructures,and by-products has been done copiously,owing to its unique features,it is still an open-ended area with enormous scope for innovation,research,and technology.Here,we reviewed the latest applications of RH and its derivatives,including fuel and other energy resources,construction materials,pharmacy,medicine,and nanobiotechnology to keep this versatile biomaterial in the spotlight.

Properties of Activated Carbons from Sugarcane Leaves and Rice Straw Derived Charcoals by Activation at Low Temperature via KMnO_(4)Pre-Oxidation-Hydrolysis

Activated carbon preparation from sugarcane leaves and rice straw by carbonization(250℃–400℃)and activation at 500℃were studied.The effects of pre-oxidation,hydrolysis of derived charcoals by boiled KMnO4 aqueous solution were evaluated.The derived charcoals products were pretreated using oxidation-hydrolysis with 1–5 wt.%KMnO4 at 100℃and then activated at 500℃.The derived charcoal and activated carbon products were characterized by FTIR,XRD,SEM-EDS and BET.Iodine number and methylene blue number of derived products were also used for the analysis of the products.It was found that fabricated charcoal materials made at 350℃–400℃possess good characteristics with low content of surface functional groups and high carbon content.After pre-oxidation-hydrolysis and activation at 500℃,the resulting derived activated carbon materials from charcoals with 400℃carbonization temperature have high content of oxygen containing surface functional groups such as Mn-O,Si-O,Si-O-Si,C-O,or O-H.In addition,MnO_(2) accumulated on the surface of the derived activated carbon products.The surface area and pore volume of the activated carbon products have also increased with increasing of KMnO_(4) concentration from 1 to 3 wt.%and then decreased with 5 wt.%used during activation.Therefore,activated carbon products made by pre-oxidation-hydrolysis with 3 wt.%KMnO_(4) were used for Fe(Ⅲ)adsorption experiments.It was found that Fe(Ⅲ)adsorption on the activated carbon materials can be fitted with both the Freundlich and the Langmuir models.The calculated maximum Fe(Ⅲ)adsorption capacities of sugarcane leaves derived activated carbon and rice straw derived activated carbon products were 50.00 and 39.37 mg/g,respectively.It was shown that the effect of pre-oxidation-hydrolysis by KMnO_(4) and activation at 500℃are beneficial for activated carbon preparation with environmentally friendly and low-cost simplified operation.

Adsorption of Malachite Green Using Activated Carbon from Mangosteen Peel: Optimization Using Box-Behnken Design

In this research,activated carbon from mangosteen peel has been synthesized using sulfuric acid as an activator.The adsorption performance of the activated carbon was optimized using malachite green dye as absorbate.Mala-chite green dye waste is a toxic and non-biodegradable material that damages the environment.Optimization of adsorption processes was carried out using Response Surface Methodology(RSM)with a Box-Behnken Design(BBD).The synthesized activated carbon was characterized using FTIR and SEM instruments.The FTIR spectra confirmed the presence of a sulfonate group(-SO_(3)H)in the activated carbon,indicating that the activation pro-cess using sulfuric acid was successful.SEM characterization shows that activated carbon has porous morphology.Optimization was carried out for three adsorption parameters,namely contact time(20,60,and 120 min),adsor-bent mass(0.005,0.025,and 0.05 g),and initial concentration of malachite green solution(5,50,and 100 mg·L^(-1)).The concentration of the malachite green solution was determined using a UV-Vis spectrophotometer at the max-imum wavelength of malachite green,618 nm.The optimum of malachite green adsorption using mangosteen peel activated carbon was obtained at a contact time of 80 min,an adsorbent mass of 0.032 g,and malachite green initial concentration of 25 mg·L^(-1),with a maximum removal percentage and maximum adsorption capacity of 93.66%and 19.345 mg·g^(-1),respectively.

Thermal pretreatment of willow branches impacts yield and pore development of activated carbon in subsequent activation with ZnCl_(2) via modifying cellulose structure

Development of pore structures of activated carbon(AC)from activation of biomass with ZnCl_(2) relies on content and structure of cellulose/hemicellulose in the feedstock.Thermal pretreatment of biomass could induce dehydration and/or aromatization to change the structure of cellulose/hemicellulose.This might interfere with evolution of structures of AC,which was investigated herein via thermal pretreatment of willow branch(WB)from 200 to 360℃and the subsequent activation with ZnCl_(2) at 550℃.The results showed that thermal pretreatment at 360℃(WB-360)could lead to substantial pyrolysis to form biochar,with a yield of 31.9%,accompanying with nearly complete destruction of cellulose crystals and remarkably enhanced aromatic degree.However,cellulose residual in WB-360 could still be activated to form AC-360 with specific surface area of 1837.9 m~2·g^(-1),which was lower than that in AC from activation of untreated WB(AC-blank,2077.8 m~2·g^(-1)).Nonetheless,the AC-200 from activation of WB-200 had more developed pores(2113.9 m~2·g^(-1))and superior capability for adsorption of phenol,due to increased permeability of ZnCl_(2) to the largely intact cellulose structure in WB-200.The thermal pretreatment did increase diameters of micropores of AC but reduced the overall yield of AC(26.8%for AC-blank versus 18.0%for AC-360),resulting from accelerated cracking but reduced intensity of condensation.In-situ infrared characterization of the activation showed that ZnCl_(2) mainly catalyzed dehydration,dehydrogenation,condensation,and aromatization but not cracking,suppressing the formation of derivatives of cellulose and lignin in bio-oil.The thermal pretreatment formed phenolic-OH and C=O with higher chemical innerness,which changed the reaction network in activation,shifting morphology of fibrous structures in AC-blank to“melting surface”in AC-200 or AC-280.