A simple and highly effective process for the preparation of activated carbons with high surface area

Highlights: → High surface area activated carbon can be prepared by rice husk H3PO4 without pretreatment. → The characteristics of the activated carbon were greatly influenced by post-processing method. → The lower SiO2 content of the activated carbons, the higher pore volume the carbons had. → Some silica in rice husk reacted with H3PO4 to form SiP2O7 which could be removed by post-process. - Abstract: Activated carbons with high surface area were prepared by phosphoric acid as activation agent and rice husks as precursors. It was found that the characteristics of the activated carbons were influenced not only by the preparation but also by the post-processing method. The high surface area of the activated carbons was prepared under the optimum condition (50% H3PO4 with impregnation ratio of 5:1, activation temperature of 500 deg. C, activation time of 0.5 h, wash water temperature of 100 deg. C). SiO2 content could affect the surface area of activated carbons, either. The lower SiO2 content of the activated carbons, the higher pore volume the carbons had. The SiO2 content was 11.2% when used the optimum condition. The explanation was that silicon element in rice husks reacted with H3PO4 to form silicon phosphate (SiP2O7), and it could be proved further by X-ray diffraction analysis, SiP2O7 could be removed by post-process.