Agricultural residues as precursors for activated carbon production - A review

A review of the production of activated carbons from agricultural residues is presented. The effects of various process parameters on the pyrolysis stage are reviewed. Influences of activating conditions, physical and chemical, on the active carbon properties are discussed. Under certain process conditions several active carbons with BET surface areas, ranging between 250 and 2410m(2)/g and pore volumes of 0.022 and 91.4 cm(3)/g, have been produced. A comparison in characteristics and uses of activated carbons from agricultural residues with those issued from tires, and commercial carbons, have been made. A review is carried out of the reaction kinetic modelling, applied to pyrolysis of agricultural wastes and activation of their pyrolytic char. (C) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.