• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.57-61
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• 2014

In this study, carbon aerogel (CA) was synthesized using a soft-template method, and the optimum conditions for the adsorption of carbon dioxide ($CO_2$) by the carbon aerogel were evaluated by controlling the activation temperature. KOH was used as the activation agent at a KOH/CA activation ratio of 4:1. Three types of activated CAs were synthesized at activation temperatures of $800^{\circ}C$(CA-K-800), $900^{\circ}C$(CA-K-900), and $1000^{\circ}C$(CA-K-1000), and their surface and pore characteristics along with the $CO_2$ adsorption characteristics were examined. The results showed that with the increase in activation temperature from 800 to $900^{\circ}C$, the total pore volume and specific surface area sharply increased from 1.2165 to $1.2500cm^3/g$ and 1281 to $1526m^2/g$, respectively. However, the values for both these parameters decreased at temperatures above $1000^{\circ}C$. The best $CO_2$ adsorption capacity of 10.9 wt % was obtained for the CA-K-900 sample at 298 K and 1 bar. This result highlights the importance of the structural and textural characteristics of the carbon aerogel, prepared at different activation temperatures on $CO_2$ adsorption behaviors.

• Carbon letters
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.180-185
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• 2013

In this study, activated carbons nanofibers (ACNFs) were prepared from polyacrylonitrile-based nanofibers by physical ($H_2O$ and $CO_2$) and chemical (KOH) activation. The surface and structural characteristics of the porous carbon were observed by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction, respectively. Pore characteristics were investigated by $N_2$/77K adsorption isotherms. The specific surface area of the physically ACNFs was increased up to $2400m^2/g$ and the ACNFs were found to be mainly composed of micropore structures. Chemical activation using KOH produced ACNFs with high specific surface area (up to $2500m^2/g$), and the micropores were mainly found in the ACNFs. The physically and chemically ACNFs showed both mainly type I from the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry classification.

• Carbon letters
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.134-136
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• 2007

In this work, activated carbons (ACs) were prepared from polystyrene-based cation-exchangeable resin (PSI) by a chemical activation with KOH as an activating agent. The surface morphologies were observed by using SEM, and the textural properties were investigated by using nitrogen adsorption at 77 K. From the experimental results, it was found that the well-developed micro- and mesopores were produced by a chemical activation, and the textural properties including specific surface areas and pore volumes were greatly enhanced. The electrochemical behaviors of the ACs showed similar phenomena with that of textural properties. These results indicated that KOH activation played an important role in the changes of surface, and pore structures, resulting in enhancing the electrochemical properties of the ACs prepared in present work.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.307-312
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• 2017

In this study, the electrochemical performance of surface modified carbon using the PFO (pyrolyzed fuel oil) was investigated by chemical activation with KOH and $K_2CO_3$. PFO was heat treated at $390{\sim}400^{\circ}C$ for 1~3h to prepared the pitch. Three carbon precursors (pitch) prepared by the thermal reaction were 3903 (at $390^{\circ}C$ for 3h), 4001(at $400^{\circ}C$ for 1h) and 4002 (at $400^{\circ}C$ for 2h). Also, the effect of chemical activation catalysts and mixing time on the development of porosity during carbonization was investigated. The prepared carbon was analyzed by BET and FE-SEM. It was shown that chemical activation with KOH could be successfully used to develop carbon with specific surface area ($3.12m^2/g$) and mean pore size (22 nm). The electrochemical characteristics of modified carbon as the anode were investigated by constant current charge/discharge, cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance tests. The coin cell using pitch (4002) modified by KOH has better initial capacity (318 mAh/g) than that of other pitch coin cells. Also, this prepared carbon anode appeared a high initial efficiency of 80% and the retention rate capability of 2C/0.1 C was 92%. It is found that modified carbon anode showed improved cycling and rate capacity performance.

• Clean Technology
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.272-278
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• 2023

There is a lot of interest in methods for pollutants using adsorption, and recent research is being conducted to show that biochar can be used to remove organic and inorganic pollutants. In particular, wood waste as waste biomass requires a biomass recycling method, and a method to increase the adsorption capacity of biochar produced using wood waste is needed. Biochar is created by Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) using, which uses low temperature and high pressure, has low energy consumption and does not require moisture removal pretreatment, and biochar is created through chemical activation using KOH, NaOH, and ZnCl₂ chemicals. The adsorption characteristics of biochar were determined by analyzing iodine adsorptivity, specific surface area, pore diameter, pore volume, pore distribution, and SEM according to the activation. The results of analyzing the selecting biochar by activating the biochar produced at HTC 300℃, 4 hr by KOH, NaOH, and ZnCl₂ chemicals, the specific surface area was 774~1.387 m²/g, showing a high specific surface area similar to activated carbon, and it was confirmed that micropores with an average pore diameter in the range of 21~24 Å were formed. As a result of SEM observation, the surface was uniform with a certain shape depending on activation. It was confirmed that one pore was developed and the number of pores increased.

• Carbon letters
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.224-234
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• 2010

Four activated carbons were produced by two-stage process as followings; semi-carbonization of indigenous biomass waste, i.e. cotton stalks, followed by chemical activation with KOH under various activation temperatures and chemical ratios of KOH to semi-carbonized cotton stalks (CCS). The surface area, total pore volume and average pore diameter were evaluated by $N_2$-adsorption at 77 K. The surface morphology and oxygen functional groups were determined by SEM and FTIR, respectively. Batch equilibrium and kinetic studies were carried out by using a basic dye, methylene blue as a probe molecule to evaluate the adsorption capacity and mechanism over the produced carbons. The obtained activated carbon (CCS-1K800) exhibited highly microporous structure with high surface area of 950 $m^2/g$, total pore volume of 0.423 $cm^3/g$ and average pore diameter of 17.8 ${\AA}$. The isotherm data fitted well to the Langmuir isotherm with monolayer adsorption capacity of 222 mg/g for CCS-1K800. The kinetic data obtained at different concentrations were analyzed using a pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order and intraparticle diffusion equations. The pseudo-second-order model fitted better for kinetic removal of MB dye. The results indicate that such laboratory carbons could be employed as low cost alternative to commercial carbons in wastewater treatment.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.712-717
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• 2015

In this study, the experiment of CO production was performed using carbon dioxide and coal. The synthesis characteristics of CO gas was investigated using the chemical activation method of KOH. The preparation process has been optimized through the analysis of experimental variables such as activating chemical agents to coal ratio, the flow rate of gas and reaction temperature during $CO_2$ conversion reaction. Without the catalyst of KOH, the 66.7% of $CO_2$ conversion was obtained at the conditions of $T=950^{\circ}C$ and $CO_2$ flow rate of 300 cc/min. On the other hand, the 98.1% of $CO_2$ conversion was obtained using catalyst of KOH at same conditions. It was found that the feed ratio(Coal : KOH = 4 : 1) had better $CO_2$ conversion and CO selectivity than other feed ratios.

• Carbon letters
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2011

In the present study, the removal of Pb (II) ions on oxidized activated carbons (ACs) was investigated. ACs were derived from activation of indigenous cotton stalks waste with potassium hydroxide (KOH) in two-stage process. The KOH-ACs were subjected to liquid-phase oxidation with hot $HNO_3$ and one untreated sample was included for comparison. The obtained carbons were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), slurry pH and $N_2$-adsorption at 77 K, respectively. Adsorption capacity of Pb (II) ions on the resultant carbons was determined by batch equilibrium experiments. The experimental results indicated that the oxidation with nitric acid was associated with a significant increase in mass of yield as well as a remarkable reduction in internal porosity as compared to the untreated carbon. The AC-800N revealed higher adsorption capacity than that of AC-800, although the former sample exhibited low surface area and micropore volume. It was observed that the adsorption capacity enhancement attributed to pore widening, the generation of oxygen functional groups and potassium containing compounds leading to cation-exchange on the carbon surface. These results show that the oxidized carbons represented prospective adsorbents for enhancing the removal of heavy metals from wastewater.

• Composites Research
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.267-275
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• 2018

A facile method for the preparation of nitrogen-doped microporous carbon via the pyrolysis of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) using polypyrrole (PPy) as a selective nitrogen source was developed. A PVDF/PPy-800 sample (carbonized at $800^{\circ}C$) with a 1:0.5 ratio of PVDF and PPy exhibited the highest micropore volume. The activated microporous carbon materials obtained from PVDF/PPy-800 prepared at $800^{\circ}C$ with KOH possessed a large specific surface area and narrow pore-size distribution. They were characterized using $N_2$ adsorption at 77 K and argon (Ar) adsorption at 87 K, which allowed for the characterization of the narrow microporosity of the prepared materials due to the absence of interactions between Ar and the sample surface. In addition, the activated microporous carbon material with a KOH/carbon ratio of 2:1 was found to exhibit the largest specific surface area ($1296m^2g^{-1}$ in $N_2$ at 77 K) and microporosity, and a high specific capacitance ($122.8F\;g^{-1}$).

• Carbon letters
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.126-132
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• 2003

Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) has been proven to be an excellent material for many industrial applications. A systematic study has been carried out of the kinetics of physical as well as chemical activation of phenolic resin chars. Physical activation was carried out using $CO_2$ and chemical activation using KOH as activating agent. There are number of factors which influence the rate of activation. The activation temperature and residence time at HTT varied in the range $550{\sim}1000^{\circ}C$ and $\frac{1}{2}{\sim}8$ hrs respectively. Kinetic studies show that the rate of chemical activation is 10 times faster than physical activation even at much lower temperature. Above study show that the chemical activation process is suitable to prepare granular activated carbon with very high surface area i.e.$ 2895\;m^2/g$ in short duration of time i.e. 1 to 2 hrs at lower temperature i.e. $750^{\circ}C$ from phenolic resins.