Microstructure and Elements of Activated Carbon from Durian Peel

Abstract

This study investigates the microstructure and elements of activated carbon derived from pyrolysis burning of Durian peel in a 200-liter incinerator at temperatures ranging from 500 to 600 degrees Celsius, resulting in biochar. The biochar was then soaked in residual water obtained from sugar cane leaves used in pulp production. The soaking solution consisted of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) with a pH of 13 and lasted for 24 hours. Subsequently, the charcoal was washed with water until reaching a pH value of 7, followed by drying in hot air at 70 degrees Celsius for 24 hours. The dried charcoal was packed into a crucible and subjected to calcination through a pyrolysis process at 700 degrees Celsius for 1 hour. The calcined charcoal was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for microstructure examination and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) for elemental composition analysis. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) techniques were employed to determine the activated carbon's crystal structures and surface area, respectively. The EDS analysis revealed that carbon accounted for 62.72 % of the elemental composition, followed by oxygen (27.70 %), potassium (8.03 %), magnesium (1.02 %), and calcium (0.52 %). XRD analysis indicated the presence of an amorphous carbon phase, graphite with a rhombohedral crystal structure, and Potassium Aluminum Silicate. SEM analysis showcased the microstructure of the activated carbon obtained from Durian peel, which exhibited pores ranging from 8 to 10 μm in size, with smaller pores in the range of 2 to 5 μm embedded within them. Furthermore, gas adsorption surface area analysis demonstrated a specific surface area of 682.42 m²/g for the activated carbon derived from Durian peel.