The Effect of Potassium Hydroxide on the Porosity of Phenol Resin-based Activated Carbon Fiber

Activated carbon fiber could be prepared at 973 K by catalytic activation using potassium hydroxide. Phenol resin fiber (Kynol) was impregnated with potassium hydroxide ethanol solution, carbonized and activated at 973 K, resulting in activated carbon fibers with different porosities. The potassium hydroxide accelerated the activation of the fiber catalytically to form narrow micropore preferentially in carbon dioxide atmosphere. The narrow micropore volume of 0.3~0.4 cc/g, total pore volume of 0.3~0.8 cc/g, mean pore width of 0.5~0.7 nm was obtained in the range of 20~50% burnoff.