Production and characterization of activated carbon from petroleum coke

Abstract

Activated carbons (AC) were prepared from petroleum coke of Khartoum Refinery Company Delayed Coke Unit (KRC-DCU) by chemicalactivation methods with KOH as an active agent. The porous carbons were characterized by iodine value and methylene blue value, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and heavy metal content for petroleum cokeand AC. Two samples of porous AC obtained from KRC coke, by KOH activation with 1:4 and 1:5 (Coke: KOH) at 800 °C for 60 min. The iodine number and methylene blue values of these samples were found to be 1248 and 1242 mg g-1, 43 and 51 mg g-1,respectively.The carbon yields of the two samples were registered to be 68 and 61%.It has been found that Coke to KOH ratio and activation time is effective for preparing high quality porous carbons