Characteristics of Surface Modified Activated Carbons Prepared by Potassium Salt Sequentially After Hydrochloric Acid Treatment

The objective of this paper is to compare the variation of surface properties by hydrochloric acid pre-treatment and of metallic potassium and their salts loading effect for activated carbon after surfaces transformation by acid. From the results of nitrogen adsorption, each isotherm shows a distinct knee band, which is closely related to the characteristic of microporous carbons with capillary condensation in micropores. In order to present the causes of the differences in surface properties and $S_{BET}$ after the samples were treated with hydrochloric acid, pore structure and surface morphology are investigated by adsorption analysis. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns indicate that activated carbons show better performance for metallic potassium and potassium salts by pre-treatment with hydrochloric acid. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) pictures of potassium/activated carbon particles provide information about the homogeneous distribution of metal or metal complex on the surface. For the chemical composition microanalysis for potassium treatment of the activated carbon pre-treated with hydrochloric acid, samples were analyzed by energy disperse X-ray (EDX). Finally, the type and quality of oxygen groups are determined from the method proposed by Boehm. A positive influence of the acidic groups on the carbon surface by acid treatment is also demonstrated by an increase in the contents of potassium salts with increasing of acidic groups calculated from Boehm titration.