Abstract:
Characterization of activated carbon producing from kluwak shells have been conducted. Kluwak shell was activated by steaming at 60, 90, 120, 150 and 180 minutes. Furthermore, NaOH was added as activator at concentration 1% and 2%. Commercial activated carbon was used as a standard. The characteristic of activated carbon which were observed including ash content, adsorptive capacity towards benzene vapors, chloroform, carbon tetrachloride and formaldehyde and microscopic structure of activated carbon. The result showed that activated carbon without treatment with NaOH had an ash content less than 10%. Moreover, carbon content for
all treated activated carbon and commercial activated carbon were 79.34 - 90.56%. The high absorptive capacity towards benzene and chloroform was shown by activated carbon which were steamed more than 120 minutes with value 14% and 21% respectively. Meanwhile, the high absorptive capacity towards formaldehyde was shown by activated carbon which were steamed more than 90 minutes with the value of 15%. All treated activated carbon showed to have higher absorptive capacity towards benzene vapors, chloroform, carbon tetrachloride and formaldehyde compared with commercial activated carbon. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) showed that activated carbon had pores if they were carbonated in furnace at 5000C.
