CHARACTERIZATION OF ACTIVATED BEECH WOOD CHAR – METHANE STORAGE APPLICATION

Abstract

Commercial beech wood char characterized by low volatile matter (5.3%) and high carbon content (94.5 %) was initially used as a potential feedstock to obtain the activated carbon for methane sorption. Micro- and mesopores volumes were determined to be at the level of 0.21 cm³∙g^-1, while the specific surface area of the material was determined to be at the level of 416 m²∙g^-1. Carbonization carried out at the temperature range of 750-900 ^oC resulted in slight increase of the pore volume (up to the value of 0.23 cm³∙g^-1) and the specific surface area (up to the value of 480 m²∙g^-1). Upon the steam activation (up to the 50 % loss of the organic mass) the specific surface area increased substantially and was within the range of 887 - 943 m²∙g^-1 together with mico- and mesopores volumes that was within the range of 0.54 - 0.58 cm³∙g^-1. The maximum methane adsorption was determined for the sample activated at a temperature of 800 ^oC – 17.7 g∙kg^-1 with a process reversibility of 84.2%. Considering the beech wood char price, its availability and well-known methods of its surface structure improvement, the obtained active carbons are interesting for their testing on a larger scale.