Sains Malaysiana 52(11)(2023): 3163-3176

http://doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2023-5211-11

Penghasilan Karbon Aktif melalui Pengaktifan Wap Biojisim Serat Panjang Tandan Sawit Kosong

(Production of Activated Carbon via Steam Activation of Empty Fruit Bunch Long Fibre Biomass)

MUHAMMAD NUR HAKIMI ZABIDI & DARFIZZI DERAWI*

Kluster Teknologi Oleokimia, Jabatan Sains Kimia, Fakulti Sains dan Teknologi, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia

Received: 15 July 2023/Accepted: 25 October 2023

Abstrak

Longgokan tandan sawit kosong (EFB) di Malaysia memerlukan perancangan yang lebih teliti dalam menukarkan sisa biojisim kepada produk bernilai tinggi. Penghasilan karbon aktif daripada biojisim EFB merupakan salah satu inisiatif yang sangat signifikan dalam menghasilkan produk bahan termaju ini. Serat panjang EFB ditukarkan kepada karbon aktif melalui kaedah pengaktifan stim. Pengaktifan stim secara suntikan wap air ini telah dijalankan pada suhu 700, 750, 800, 900 dan 1000 °C selama 60 minit. Serbuk EFB, bio-arang dan karbon aktif yang dihasilkan dalam kajian ini telah menjalani analisis pencirian menggunakan kaedah  penjerapan fizikal. Karbon aktif terhasil pada suhu 800 °C memberikan luas permukaan (561.0 m²/g) dan isi padu liang (0.2800 cm³/g) tertinggi dan bersifat mesoliang (2.9 nm) berbanding karbon aktif yang terhasil pada suhu lain. Oleh itu, suhu 800 °C merupakan suhu optimum bagi penghasilan karbon aktif dalam kajian ini. Sehubungan itu, karbon aktif  800 °C dilakukan pencirian selanjutnya menggunakan XRD, FTIR dan FESEM. Struktur amorfus dapat dilihat berdasarkan pencirian XRD. Melalui analisis FTIR, karbon aktif ini mengandungi beberapa kumpulan berfungsi seperti alifatik-CH, C-O dan C=O. Kemunculan puncak penyerapan getaran kumpulan C=O pada karbon aktif ini selepas pengaktifan wap dapat dikaitkan dengan tindak balas pengoksidaan bio-arang yang mana wap air bertindak sebagai agen pengoksidaan. Tambahan pula, morfologi permukaannya oleh FESEM menunjukkan permukaan berliang berbentuk bulat dan susunannya kurang teratur. Justeru, kajian berkaitan penghasilan karbon aktif daripada biojisim tandan sawit kosong melalui pengaktifan stim telah dijalankan. Penukaran biojisim EFB kepada karbon aktif menyokong kepada usaha membangunkan teknologi hijau dan kitaran ekonomi mampan.

Kata kunci: Biojisim tandan sawit kosong; karbon aktif; pengaktifan wap

Abstract

The abundance of empty oil palm bunches (EFB) in Malaysia requires more careful planning in converting biomass waste into high-value products. The production of activated carbon from EFB biomass is one of the most significant initiatives in producing this advanced material product. EFB fibers are converted to activated carbon through a steam activation method. Steam activation by water vapor injection was carried out at temperatures of 700, 750, 800, 900 and 1000 °C for 60 min. Empty palm bunch powder, bio-charcoal and all the activated carbon produced in this study have undergone characterization analysis using the physical adsorption method. Activated carbon produced at a temperature of 800 °C exhibits the highest surface area (561.0 m²/g) and pore volume (0.2800 cm³/g) and is mesoporous (2.9 nm) compared to activated carbon produced at other temperatures. Therefore, 800 °C is the optimum temperature for producing activated carbon in this study. As such, activated carbon at 800 °C was further characterized using XRD, FTIR and FESEM. Amorphous structure can be seen based on XRD characterization. Through FTIR analysis, this activated carbon contains several functional groups such as aliphatic-CH, C-O, and C=O. The appearance of the peak of C=O group vibration absorption in this activated carbon after steam activation can be attributed to the oxidation reaction of bio-charcoal where steam acts as the oxidizing agent. Furthermore, its surface morphology by FESEM shows a porous surface that is round and less regular in arrangement.Therefore, a study related to the production of activated carbon from the biomass of empty palm bunches through steam activation was carried out. Conversion of EFB biomass to activated carbon supports efforts to develop green technologies and sustainable circular economic.

Keywords: Activated carbon; biomass empty fruit bunches; steam activation

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*Corresponding author; email: darfizzi@ukm.edu.my