<b>Production of granular activated carbons from sugar cane bagasse and molasses</b>- DOI: 10.4025/actascitechnol.v28i1.1203

Abstract

Activated carbons were prepared from mixtures of sugar cane bagasse and molasses in bagasse:molasses mass ratios from 1:0 to 1:2. The mixture was pressed to form pellets, and pyrolyzed under N₂ flow of 150 mL•min^-1, at 850°C, for 1 hour. The pyrolyzed carbons were activated with CO₂, under the flow of 75 mL•min^-1 at 850°C for 30 min. The activated carbons were characterized by an analysis of nitrogen adsorption isotherms (77 K), pH, and solutions decolorization of sugar cane molasses (1% w/v). Results showed that the activated carbons presented yield of 23% in relation to the initial pellets, surface areas from 272 to 455 m²â€¢g^-1, and that micro and mesopores were predominant in the pore size distribution. Activated carbons made with a smaller amount of molasses in the mixture were as efficient in the decolorization as a commercial reference carbon