Activated Carbon from Rice Husk with One-Step KOH Mechanical Mixing Activation as Adsorbent for Treating Phenolic Wastewater

This study investigates how large-surface-area biocarbons with high phenolic adsorption capacities can be obtained from cheap and abundant rice husk(RH).The RH is directly mixed with potassium hydroxide(KOH)and activated in a flowing N_(2) atmosphere,and the effects of the pyrolysis temperature and KOH to RH ratio on the structure of the obtained activated carbon adsorbents and their adsorption of p-nitrophenol and phenol are studied.The results show that the optimum pyrolysis temperature of RH is 750℃,whereby the highest surface area of 2047 m^(2)/g and best adsorption performance are obtained with a KOH to RH ratio of 3:1.Moreover,the obtained biocarbons achieve a maximum adsorption capacity of 175 mg/g for phenol and 430 mg/g for p-nitrophenol,which are higher than most previously reported data.

Preparation and Adsorption Properties of Activated Carbon from Glutinous Rice Straw by KOH Method

[Objective] This study aimed to improve comprehensive utilization value of glutinous rice straw and to develop new raw material for preparation of activated carbon. [Method] Using potassium hydroxide as activator and glutinous rice straw as raw material, activated carbon was prepared. [Result] The optimum technological conditions for preparation of activated carbon from glutinous rice straw were as fol- lows： activator concentration of 2 mol/L, activation time of 60 min, activation tem- perature of 600 ℃ and carbonization temperature of 450℃. The adsorption values of methylene blue and iodine by activated carbon prepared from glutinous rico straw were 10.21 ml/0.1 g and 920.74 mg/g respectively under the optimal conditions. The quality of the prepared activated carbon met the grade two of water quality purifica- tion-using activated carbon quality standard. [Conclusion] This study will provide certain references for comprehensive utilization of glutinous rice straw and preparation of high-performance activated carbon.

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.

The Influence of Rice Husk Ash on Mechanical Properties of the Mortar and Concrete: A Critical Review

Increasing the population and infrastructure in both emerging and developed countries requires a considerable amount of cement, which significantly affects the environment. The primary materials of concrete (‘cement’) production emit a large quantity of CO2 into the environment. Also, the cost of conventional building materials like cement gives motivation to find geopolymer waste materials for concrete. To reduce harmful effects on the environment and cost of traditional concrete substance, alternative waste materials like rice husk ash (RHA), ground granulated blast-furnace (GGBS), fly ash (FA), and metakaolin (MK) can be used due to their pozzolanic behavior. RHA waste material with a high silica concentration obtained from burning rice husks can possibly be used as a supplementary cementitious material (SCM) in the manufacturing of concrete, and its strong pozzolanic properties can contribute to the strength and impermeability of concrete. This review paper highlights a summary of the positive effect of using RHA as a partial substitute for cement in building construction, as well as its optimal inclusion of enhanced mechanical properties like compressive strength, flexural strength, and split tensile strength of mortar and concrete.

Mechanism of coconut husk activated carbon modified by Mn(NO3)2

To study the mechanism by which activated carbon is modified by HNO3 and Mn(NO3)2,the pore texture and surface chemical characteristics of carbon materials in coconut husk activated carbon(AC)were examined via scanning electron microscopy(SEM),Brunauer-Emmett-Teller(BET),X-ray diffraction(XRD),Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR),and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS).After being modified by HNO3,the millipore character of AC became deformed,and the character of the adjacent pores remained consolidated.The surface manganites of Mn/AC-1 presented as block and reticular fiber structures,Mn/AC-2's surface manganites presented as petty mammock crystals,and Mn/AC-3's surface manganites were observed as gauze nanosheets that interlace to fill in the pore canal.Nitric acid modification was shown to enlarge surface pores but decrease the specific surface area of AC.Mn loading can be used to construct a new pore structure that,in turn,increased the total specific surface area as well as the specific surface area and the volume of the millipores.Mn/AC-2's pore structure was optimized at a calcination temperature of 500℃and a loading quantity of 5%.The ash content of AC was considerably reduced after modified by HNO3.The active materials for Mn/AC-1 mainly consisted of Mn3O4,with a few Mn2O3 crystals,whereas Mn/AC-2's materials were mainly Mn3O4 and some MnO crystals.Mn/AC-3 was exclusively composed of Mn3O4.HNO3 activation and Mn loading modification did not considerably affect the functional group species present on the catalyst.Modification conditions using the same loading quantities and higher calcination temperatures decreased the number of O—H and N—H bonds while conversely increasing the number of CC and C—O bonds.On the contrary,the use of a higher loading quantity while maintaining the same calcination temperature increased the number of O—H and N—H bonds.A higher loading quantity is beneficial for increasing Mn^4+species.A higher calcination temperature is beneficial for increasing Mn^3+species.The results can optimize the conditions under which Mn/AC catalyst modification occurs,thus improving the physical and chemical properties of carbon-based sorbents.

Adsorption of Phenol by Activated Carbon Prepared from Waste Rice Straw by Chemical Activation with (NH_4)_2HPO_4

Activated carbons,RS-1,RS-2,and RS-3,prepared from rice straw with(NH4)2HPO4 activation were used as adsorbents for removing phenols from aqueous solutions.The maximum adsorption capacities of phenol for RS-1,RS-2,and RS-3 were 163.9,172.9,and 200.0 mg/g,respectively.The equilibrium data were analyzed by the Langmuir,Freundlich,and Temkin models.It displayed that Langmuir isotherm fitted to the results best.The dimensionless parameter RL indicated the favorable nature of the adsorption of phenol.Otherwise,the kinetic rates were well explained by pseudo-second-order model.According to the results,activated carbon derived from waste rice straw can be a high-performance adsorbent for wastewater treatment.

Cost Effective Adsorption of Aluminium and Iron from Synthetic and Real Wastewater by Rice Hull Activated Carbon (RHAC)

The adsorption of aluminium(III) and iron(III) ions from their single and binary systems, by RHAC was investigated in a batch system. The activated carbon prepared from rice hulls was characterized by scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transformation infrared techniques. Batch adsorption experiments were performed under different operating conditions including pH (2 - 5), adsorbent dosage (0.5 - 2.0 g/l), initial ion concentration (5 - 100 mg/l), and contact time (30 - 240 min). The equilibrium time for maximum ions removal was found to be 180 min in single and binary ions systems. The kinetics of adsorption was evaluated using the pseudo-first order, pseudo-second order and Elovich kinetic models. The Langmuir, Freundlich and Temkin equilibrium models were applied to the adsorption experimental data. Real wastewater samples were collected from different locations to investigate the efficiency of rice hull activated carbon in treating real samples. The real wastewater samples were treated with the activated carbon prepared from rice hulls and a commercial activated carbon. The results showed that the activated carbon prepared in the present work was more efficient in the removal of aluminium and iron from real wastewater as compared to the commercial activated carbon which is more advantageous considering both economics and environmental parameters.

Modification Mechanism of Coconut Husk Activated Carbon Using FeSO4 and Fe(NO3)3

Modification conditions determine the surface topography and the active material phase composition of a catalyst.To study the influence of modification on a carbon-based sorbent,coconut husk activated carbon(AC)which was activated using HNO3 and modified by FeSO4 and Fe(NO3)3 was examined.The pore textures and surface chemical characteristics of the carbon materials were examined by scanning electron microscopy(SEM),Brunner-Emmet-Teller(BET),X-ray diffraction(XRD)and Fourier transform infrared(FTIR)spectroscopy.The surface topography,the pore structure,active materials,and functional groups of AC,AC modificated by HNO3(HNO3/AC for short),and AC modificated by FeSO4 and Fe(NO3)3(Fe/AC for short)were systematically studied.Subsequently,the mechanism of modifying the conditions for the carbon materials was determined.Results showed that the surface micro topography of HNO3/AC became unsystematic and disordered.After modification with FeSO4,the ferriferous oxide was mainly present as a near-spherical crystal.Ferriferous oxides from Fe(NO3)3 modification mainly exhibited a plate shape.HNO3 modification could enlarge the pores but decrease the specific surface area of AC.FeSO4 modification resulted in a new net post structure in the pore canal of AC.Fe(NO3)3 modification caused the pore space structure to develop in the interior,and a higher calcination temperature was useful for ablation.The ash content of the AC was substantially reduced upon HNO3 modification.Upon FeSO4 modification,α-FeOOH,α-Fe2O3 andγ-Fe2O3 coexisted under the condition of a lower concentration of FeSO4 and a lower calcination temperature,and a higher FeSO4 concentration and calcination temperature generated moreα-Fe2O3.The same Fe(NO3)3 modification and a higher calcination temperature were beneficial to the minor chipping formation ofγ-Fe2O3.A higher Fe(NO3)3 loading produced a lower graphitization degree.HNO3 modification formed various new oxygen-containing functional groups and few nitrogen-containing groups.Based on the cover,FeSO4 and Fe(NO3)3 modification could decrease the oxygen-containing and nitrogen-containing functional groups.These results could optimize the modification condition and improve physical and chemical properties of carbon-based sorbents.

Novel Activated Carbon Monoliths for Methane Adsorption Obtained from Coffee Husks

Methane adsorption by different forms of activated carbon obtained from coffee husks, including monolith honeycomb and disc types, was studied by activation with zinc salts and potassium hydroxide at 298.15 K and 303.15 K and pressures up to 30.00 atm in a volumetric adsorption apparatus. We observed increased methane adsorption capacity on a mass basis in the different activated carbon monoliths with increasing surface area, total pore volume and micropore volume, with the honeycomb type displaying the highest methane absorption capacity. The maximum volumetric methane uptake by the synthesised carbon monoliths was observed to be 130 V/V at 298.15 K and 30.00 atm for honeycomb monoliths synthesised with zinc chloride (ZnCl2) and Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as the binder. Adsorption calorimetry results were used to describe the interaction between guest molecules and the adsorbent at low surface coverage and the energetic heterogeneous surface nature of the adsorbent.

Preparation and activity research of ecological nano mineral admixture from rice husk charcoal

The rice husk ash （ RHA） and silica （ Si02） nanoparticles are prepared from rice husk charcoal （RHC） by the methods of ventilated calcining and chemical precipitation, respectively, to remove the residual carbon which is harmful to cement composites. The structures and morphologies of these products are investigated by the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning/ transmission electron microscopy and N2 adsorption- desorption analyzer. The results show that the as-produced RHA and Si02 nanoparticles exist in amorphous phase without residual carbon, and exhibit porous structures with specific surface areas of 170.19 and 248. 67 m2 /g , respectively. The micro particles of RHA are aggregated by numerous loosely packed Si02 gel particles with the diameter of 50 to 100 nm. The Si02 nanoparticles are well dispersed with the average size of about 30 nm. Both the RHA and Si02 nanoparticles can significantly reduce the conductivity of saturated Ca（OH）2 solution and increase the early strength of the cement composites. They also exhibit high pozzolanic activity, indicating that they can be used as ecological nano mineral admixtures.

Adsorption removal of endosulfan through Saccharum officinarum derived activated carbon from selected soils

Pesticide contamination causes precarious implications on human health and environment.Thus the investigation of its sorption phenomenon is highly imperative.Endosulfan insecticide was examined for its adsorption behavior on ten assorted soils through batch equilibrium method.Adsorption coefficient values(Kd)ranged from 1.4μg/mL to 18μg/mL.The highest Kd value was obtained for Peshawar soil owing to the presence of highest amount of organic matter(1.4%).Negative values of Gibbs free energy displayed a low interaction between soil and pesticide,exhibiting that the reaction was physiosorption and exothermic in nature.Statistical analysis showed a negative correlation of soil pH and Kd(R^2=–0.77 and p=0.03)and a positive correlation with organic matter(R^2=0.96).Activated carbon prepared from Saccharum officinarum bagasse removed significant amount pesticide.The maximum removal observed was 93%and 97%in 5×10^–6 and 7.5×10^–6,respectively.Activated carbon prepared from biomass for removal purposes was proved to be highly efficient and cost effective.

Effects of Carbon and Nitrogen Additions on Soil Microbial Biomass Carbon and Enzyme Activities Under Rice Straw Returning

The effects of different amounts of carbon and nitrogen sources on the soil microbial biomass carbon,dissolved organic carbon and related enzyme activities were studied by the simulation experiment of rice straw returning to the field,and the mechanism of the decomposition of rice straw returning to the field was discussed.Completely randomized experiment of the two factors of the three levels was designed,and a total of nine treatments of indoor soil incubation tests were conducted.Full amount of rice straw was applied to the soil in this simulation experiment and different amounts of brown sugar and urea were added in the three levels of 0(no carbon source and nitrogen source),1(low levels of carbon and nitrogen sources)and 2(high levels of carbon and nitrogen sources),respectively.The results showed that the addition of different amounts of carbon and nitrogen sources to the rice straw could increase the soil carbon content.Compared with T0N0,the microbial biomass carbon of T2N2 was increased significantly by 170.48%;the dissolved organic carbon content of T1N2 was significantly increased by 58.14%and the free humic acid carbon contents of T0N2,T1N1 and T2N0 were significantly increased by 56.16%and 45.55%and 47.80%,respectively;however,there were no significant differences among those of treatments at later incubation periods.The addition of different carbon and nitrogen sources could promote the soil enzyme activities.During the incubation period,all of the soil enzyme activities of adding sugar and urea were higher than those of T0N0 treatment.Therefore,the addition of different amounts of carbon and nitrogen sources to rice straw returning could improve soil microbial biomass carbon content,dissolved organic carbon and soil enzyme activities.

Concrete with Highly Active Rice Husk Ash

The overall aim was to investigate the effect of highly active rice husk ash (RHA) produced by an industrial furnace on some properties of concrete. The strength, pore volume and pore distribution of concrete and the Ca(OH)-2 content in concrete were investigated by JIS A 1108 (Method of test for compressive strength of concrete), a mercury instrument porosimeter, and the thermogravimetric analysis, respectively. The results show that,with RHA replacement of cement,the compressive strength of concrete is increased evidently;the average pore radius of concrete is greatly decreased, especially the portion of the pores greater than 20nm in radius is decreased while the amount of smaller pores is increased, and the more the RHA replacement, the less the amount of Ca(OH)-2 in concrete. The latter two results are the main reasons for the strength enhancement of concrete.

Removal of Cr(VI)from aqueous solution by Rice-husk-based activated carbon prepared by Dual-mode heating method

Rice husk-based activated carbon was prepared with the help of zinc chloride using microwave and electrical dual-mode heating.The pore characteristics and chemical properties of rice husk-based activated carbon(RH-AC)were characterized by BET,XRD,Raman spectra,FTIR and pHIEP(pH of isoelectric point).The specific surface area of RH-AC is 1719.32 m^(2)/g with a total pore volume of 1.05 cm^(3)/g.The performance of RH-AC for removing Cr(VI)from aqueous solution was examined considering the variation of the contact time(0-120 min),pH value(2.0-9.0),adsorbent dose(0.5-3.0 g/L),initial concentration(28-145 mg/L)and solvent temperature(15-45℃).The ideal pH for Cr(VI)removal is between 2.0 and 3.0 with the equilibrium time of 90 min,achieving the maximum adsorption capacity of 56.82 mg/g with the pH of 3.0.Comparable study on the established kinetic models and isotherms to simulate the removal of Cr(VI)by RH-AC was carried out to sort out the inherent mechanism of the absorption.Reasonable agreements could be obtained by the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Langmuir,Freundlich and Tempkin isothermal models.Results from Body model simulation suggest that external mass transfer was the essential cause for rate-controlling in the adsorption process of Cr(VI).

Application of Rice Husk Biochar for Achieving Sustainable Agriculture and Environment

This paper critically reviewed the current knowledge and challenges of rice husk biochar(RHB)production and its effects on soil properties,plant growth,immobilization of heavy metals,reduction of nutrient leaching and mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions.The characteristics of RHBs produced at various pyrolysis temperatures were discussed and compared to biochars derived from other agro-industrial wastes.RHBs produced at higher pyrolysis temperatures show lower hydrogen/carbon ratio,which suggests the presence of higher aromatic carbon compounds.The increase of pyrolysis temperature also results in production of RHBs with higher ash content,lower yield and higher surface area.RHB usually has higher silicon and ash contents and lower carbon content compared to biochars derived from other feedstocks at the same pyrolysis conditions.Although it depends on soil type,RHB application can improve soil organic carbon content,cation exchange capacity,available K concentration,bulk density and microbial activity.The effect of RHB on soil aggregation mainly depends on soil texture.The growth of different crops is also enhanced by application of RHB.RHB addition to soil can immobilize heavy metals and herbicides and reduce their bioavailability.RHB application shows a significant capacity in reduction of nitrate leaching,although its magnitude depends on the biochar application rate and soil biogeochemical characteristics.Use of RHB,especially in paddy fields,shows a promising mitigation effect on greenhouse gas(CH4,CO2 and N2O)emissions.Although RHB characteristics are also related to other factors such as pyrolysis heating rate and residence time,its performance for specific applications(e.g.carbon sequestration,pH amendment)can be manipulated by adjusting the pyrolysis temperature.More research is needed on long-term field applications of RHB to fully understand the advantages and disadvantages of RHB as a soil amendment.

Study of Kinetic Characteristics for Drying Rice Husk

Rice husk (biomass fuel) samples have been dried in drying oven and a series of drying curve for illustrating moisture migration of rice husk have been obtained. It is first research for rice husk drying,and it can provide reference of fuel processing for different boilers which require rice husk with various water contents. In this paper,we apply Page equation to reflect the drying process and obtain drying characteristic curve,then analyze the drying law. Kinetic analysis of the results of moisture migration test has been done,after which, effective moisture diffusion coefficient,activation energy and drying kinetic equation of rice husk samples are obtained in test temperature range (80 - 130 ℃) . And these results show specific influence law of temperature for effective moisture diffusion coefficient.

Evaluation of Porous Structure of Cement Pastes Made with Residual Rice Husk Ash

In several countries, the residual RHA （rice husk ash） has been produced in rice processing industries or in thermoelectric plants that use rice husk to generate heat and/or electrical energy, usually without burning process control. This causes a reduction in the amorphous silica content of residual RHA, which distinguishes them from the RHA produced according to controlled burning process, which is totally amorphous and considered a highly reactive pozzolan. In this paper, the hydration products and the porous structure of binders paste were studied by replacing, in weight of 5%, 10% and 20% of Portland cement OPC （ordinary Portland cement）, by residual RHAs named A and B, which have high and low content of amorphous silica, respectively, using microstructure evaluation techniques as XRD （X-ray diffraction）, TG （thermogravimetric） tests and MIP （mercury intrusion porosimetry）. A reducing the size of the pores of the pastes was observed according to the increase of content replacement of RHA A and RHA B.

Effect of Partial Replacement of Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) with Ghanaian Rice Husk Ash (RHA) on the Compressive Strength of Concrete

The cost of cement has made concrete production expensive such that the housing deficit in developing countries is on the rise despite all the efforts by governments and other stakeholders to produce affordable housing units for the populace. Ashes of agricultural products such as rice husk, known as mineral admixtures may have pozzolanic characteristics which would be more beneficial to the housing industry in terms of strength gain and economy than being pollutants to the environment. Rice Husk Ash (RHA), because of its finely divided form and very high silica content and amorphousness, proved to be useful for strength gain of Rice Husk Ash Concrete (RHAC). Rice husk ash was manufactured by uncontrolled burning, ground, sieved and replaced with cement at 0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20% and 25% in mass for the mixes C20, C25, C30 and C35 where their compressive strengths were verified at 3, 7, 14, 21, 28, 56, 90 and 180 days. The X-ray diffraction pattern list indicated amorphous as well as diffused peak of about 8000 counts of SiO2 representing crystalline structures identified as cristobalite. A physical examination of the RHA showed very fine appearance, grey color and specific gravity of 2.06. The chemical analysis also revealed the existence of oxide content to be 55.8% representing 0.78% of Fe2O3, 54% of SiO2 and 1.06% of Al2O3 representing 20.23% lower than the minimum value of 70% required for pozzolans. Generally, the compressive strength values decreased as the RHA content in the mixes increased but when compared to the control concrete the optimum replacement percentage of Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) with RHA at 5% showed an increase above the control concrete for C20 mix. The increase in the RHA in the mixes resulted in the high demand for water in all the mixes.

Sustainable catalytic graphitization of biomass to graphitic porous carbon by constructing permeation network with organic ligands

Common strategies for catalytic graphitization of biochar into graphitic porous carbon(GPC)still face great challenges,such as the realization of simple procedures,energy conservation,and green processes.Controlling over the graphitization degree and pore structure of biochar is the key to its structural diversification.Herein,a clean and energy-efficient method is developed to synthesize adjustable graphitic degree and structure porosity GPC from rice husk-based carbon(RHC)at a relatively low temperature of 800–1000°C with environment-benign organometallic catalyst ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid ferric sodium salt(EDTA-iron)and the recovery ratio of catalyst is as high as 97%.The formed by the organic ligands of EDTA-iron facilitates the etching of RHC surface and pore by iron,resulting in highly graphitized and developed porous GPCs.The pore structure and graphitization degree of GPCs can be adjusted by altering the catalyst loading,temperature,and holding time.The catalyst EDTA-iron with a lower concentration mainly plays the role of etching,which promotes the formation of porous carbon with larger surface area(SBET=1187.2 m^(2)·g^(-1)).The catalyst with higher concentration mainly plays the role of catalyzing graphitization and promotes the obtaining of graphitic carbon with high graphitization degree(ID/IG=0.19).The mechanism of EDTA-iron catalyzed graphitization of RHC is explored by the comprehensive analysis of BET,XRD,Raman,TEM and TGA.This research not only provides an efficient method for the preparation of high-quality biomass-based graphite carbon,but also provides a feasible method for the preparation of biomass-based porous carbon.

Nitrate removal from groundwater using chemically modified coconut husk based granular activated carbon:characterization of the adsorbent,kinetics and mechanism

In this study,a highly porous chemically activated granular activated carbon(GAC)was prepared from coconut husk and tested as an adsorbent to remove nitrate from contaminated groundwater.The prepared GAC was characterized by Fouriertransform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR),thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis(TGA/DTA),scanning electron microscopy(SEM)and the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller(BET)surface area(SBET)analysis.The effects of various process parameters such as initial nitrate concentration,contact time and adsorbent dose on nitrate removal efficiency(response)by the modified GAC were investigated using the statistically significant response surface methodology and Box-Behnken design of experiments.The experimental data were fitted to well-known adsorption isotherms and kinetic models to ascertain the mechanism of the adsorption process.Analysis of variance(ANOVA)was performed to determine the significance of the individual and the interactive effects of process variables on the response.The BET surface area(SBET)and micropore volume of the prepared GAC from coconut husk was 1120 m^(2)/g and 0.392 cm^(3)/g,respectively.The experimental results showed that physisorption was the main adsorption mechanism governing the process,while the rate of adsorption was limited at initial nitrate concentrations>10 mg/L.The Langmuir mono-layer adsorption isotherm best fitted the experimental data with a maximum adsorption capacity of 6.0±1.3 mg/g(~92.5%)with an adsorbent dose of 0.1 g/50 mL,an equilibrium time of 6 h at 28±2℃,and at pH 7.6(±0.2).Among the tested process variables,the adsorbent dose and initial nitrate concentration showed significant effects on the nitrate removal efficiency.