Development of tailored mesoporosity in carbonised cocoa bean husk

Abstract

Tailored mesoporous activated carbon has been prepared from a new lignocellulosic precursor, cocoa bean husk. The study has focussed on analysing the role the mineral matter of a lignocellusic precursor plays in the development of mesoporosity in activated carbon. Three new approaches have been developed to obtain tailored mesoporosity: i) controlled demineralisation; ii) activation of mixtures of the raw and demineralised cocoa precursor; iii) incorporation of iron via ionic interchange. The results prove that each of the above methods are suitable for developing activated carbon with different pore size distributions, including highly microporous, highly micro and mesoporous and highly macroporous activated carbons. In addition, the activation mechanism of these different carbonised samples has been analysed in order to explain the differences found in the development of porosity.