Preparation and characterization of mesoporous carbons using a Turkish natural zeolitic template/furfuryl alcohol system

The template carbonization method was utilized for the production of mesoporous carbons using a Turkish natural zeolite as a template. The major carbon precursor used was furfuryl alcohol. Furfuryl alcohol was polymerized and carbonized between 700 °C and 1000 °C in the channels of the natural zeolite. The structure of the zeolite template and carbons were investigated by surface analysis techniques, scanning electron microscopy, 13C NMR and FTIR spectrometry, and powder X-ray diffraction. At the micrometer level, the carbon material templated with the natural zeolite had the same morphology as the zeolite. The porous carbon samples contained 9199% C and minor amounts of oxygen. While the surface area of the carbon produced without templation was only 18 m2/g, the surface area of the carbons produced within the template was found to be in the range of 400800 m2/g. Average pore diameter of the porous carbons was measured as ca. 510 nm, demonstrating presence of mesoporous framework in the carbons. The 13C NMR and FTIR spectra revealed that the carbons produced in the carbonization range of 7001000 °C contained some hydrogen and oxygen containing functional groups. The XRD results put forward indications to the presence of turbostratic structures and preservation of the structural regularity of the zeolite over extended distances in the carbons

Biogasification of soma lignite by microorganisms

The main scopes of this study are to analyze the bacterial activity on the coal samples which come from Soma basin in Turkey and investigation of the bacterial gas production of these samples. For that purpose, characterization of the coal samples was performed by using FTIR, STA, BET, SAM and ICP

Structural aspects of AlPO4-5 zeotypes synthesized by microwave-hydrothermal process. 1. Effect of heating time and microwave power

AlPO4-5 with AFI structure containing 12-membered rings was prepared using the aluminum isopropoxide precursor as a source of alumina and TEA as the structure directing agent via microwave technique. The influence of microwave power and heating time on the dimensions of AlPO4-5 crystals formed in the system Al2O3:P2O5:(C2H5)3N (or (C3H7)3N):H2O:HF has been studied systematically. It was found that the morphology of the AlPO4-5 depended on the microwave power and heating time. Several mechanisms of fast crystallization existed in the microwave radiation, due to increased dissolution of the gel by lonely water molecules in almost temperature gradient-free and convection-free in situ heating

Utilization of multiple graphene layers in fuel cells. 1. An improved technique for the exfoliation of graphene-based nanosheets from graphite

An improved, safer and mild method was proposed for the exfoliation of graphene like sheets from graphite to be used in fuel cells. The major aim in the proposed method is to reduce the number of layers in the graphite material and to produce large quantities of graphene bundles to be used as catalyst support in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells. Graphite oxide was prepared using potassium dichromate/sulfuric acid as oxidant and acetic anhydride as intercalating agent. The oxidation process seemed to create expanded and leafy structures of graphite oxide layers. Heat treatment of samples led to the thermal decomposition of acetic anhydride into carbondioxide and water vapor which further swelled the layered graphitic structure. Sonication of graphite oxide samples created more separated structures. Morphology of the sonicated graphite oxide samples exhibited expanded the layer structures and formed some tullelike translucent and crumpled graphite oxide sheets. The mild procedure applied was capable of reducing the average number of graphene sheets from 86 in the raw graphite to nine in graphene-based nanosheets. Raman spectroscopy analysis showed the significant reduction in size of the in-plane sp2 domains of graphene nanosheets obtained after the reduction of graphite oxide

Use of Pd/activated carbon fiber catalyst to dehydrogenate cyclohexane

In this work, activated carbon fibers (ACFs) were prepared from polyacrylonitrile fibers, Pd catalyst was loaded onto the ACFs. The BET surface areas noted before activation were in the range of 120-140 m2/g. Activation of the fibers with carbon dioxide increased the surface areas of the fibers to about 150-190 m2/g. Diameters of metallic Pd particles loaded along the fibers ranged from 50 nm to 100 nm. The shape of the Pd particles was generally spherical albeit some non-spherical Pd particles were also noted. The catalytic activity of the Pd/ACF system in dehydrogenating cyclohexane at 350oC under liquid-phase conditions was investigated. Utilizing the Pd/ACF system in the micro-autoclave of a differential scanning calorimetric system was described for the liquid-phase catalytic dehydrogenation of cyclohexane. The DSC thermogram of the non-catalytic system yielded fewer endothermic events compared to the catalytic dehydrogenation of cyclohexane in the presence of Pd/ACF. The dehydrogenation of cyclohexane at 350oC was a first-order reaction with a rate constant, k = 3.5 x 10-4 s-1. GC-MS analyses of the products of catalytic dehydrogenation revealed a wide distribution of saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbons that were not present in the corresponding non-catalytic experiment. The presence of high molecular weight products could be explained by the recombination of carbon radicals during reaction

A parametric evaluation of the removal as(III) and as(V) from aqueous water by red mud

In the present study, removal of arsenide (As(III)) and arsenate As(V) ions from water/wastewater by adsorption on red mud is investigated. Laboratory experiments were carried out to analyze removal capacity of the adsorbents, to achieve adsorption isotherms and kinetic parameters. Optimum doses of adsorbents, pH dependence of solutions, and contact time have been discussed. This study proposes the potential adsorbent material for water/wastewater which is contaminated with As species

Removal of Boron from aqueous solutions by adsorption using fly ash, zeolite and demineralized lignite

In the present study for the purpose of removal of boron from water by adsorption using adsorbents like fly ash, natural zeolite and demineralized lignite was investigated. Boron in water was removed with fly ash, zeolite and demineralized lignite with different capacities. 94% boron was removed using fly ash. Batch experiments were conducted to test removal capacity, to obtain adsorption isotherms, thermodynamic and kinetic parameters. Boron removal by all adsorbents was affected by pH of solution; maximum adsorption was achieved at pH 10. Adsorption of boron on fly ash was investigated by Langmuir, Freundlich, Dubinin-Radushkevich models. Standard entropy and enthalpy changes of adsorption of boron on fly ash were, =S0 = -0.69 kJ/mol K and =H0 = -215.34 kJ/mol, respectively. The negative value of S0 indicated decreased randomness at the solid/solution interface during the adsorption boron on the fly ash sample. Negative values of H0 showed the exothermic nature of the process. The negative values of G0 implied that the adsorption of boron on fly ash samples was spontaneous. Adsorption of boron on fly ash occurred with a pseudo-second order kinetic model, intraparticle diffusion of boron species had also some effect in adsorption kinetics

Carbon nanotube production over MCM-41 type catalytic materials via CVD method

We investigate the effects of mesoporous catalyst synthesis methods over carbon nanotube (CNT) production. Metal incorporated mesoporous catalysts were synthesized by two different microwave assisted synthesis methods. In the first method, MCM-41 mesoporous materials were synthesized with microwave radiation and then metal was impregnated into these as-synthesized MCM-41 samples. In the second method metal was added into the raw materials directly and then the mixture was treated in the microwave oven. The catalyst were tested in CVD for CNT production