Steam and KOH activation of biochar: Experimental and modeling studies

Biochar was used as a precursor of activated carbon using physical (steam) and chemical (potassium hydroxide) activation processes. The effects of operating conditions for each activation method on the BET surface area of the product and reaction yield were investigated using central composite design (CCD). For both activation processes, quadratic models were developed, by Design-Expert software, for BET surface area and reaction yield. The optimum operating conditions were calculated by the models to produce physically and chemically activated carbons with large surface area and product yield. The optimum BET surface area and product yield of physical activation are, respectively, 643 m2/g and 56.9 wt%, and of chemically activated carbon are, respectively, 783 m2/g and 75.3 wt%, which showed good agreement with the experimental values. Average pore diameters of physically and chemically activated carbons were in the ranges of 13–26 Å and 13–15 Å, respectively.