Microwave pyrolysis using self-generated pyrolysis gas as activating agent: An innovative single-step approach to convert waste palm shell into activated carbon

¹ University College of Technology Sarawak, Department of Engineering, 96000, Sibu, Sarawak, Malaysia
² Pyrolysis Technology Research Group, Eastern Corridor Renewable Energy Group (ECRE), School of Ocean Engineering, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia

^* Corresponding Author: lam@umt.edu.my

Abstract

Waste palm shell (WPS) is a biomass residue largely available from palm oil industries. An innovative microwave pyrolysis method was developed to produce biochar from WPS while the pyrolysis gas generated as another product is simultaneously used as activating agent to transform the biochar into waste palm shell activated carbon (WPSAC), thus allowing carbonization and activation to be performed simultaneously in a single-step approach. The pyrolysis method was investigated over a range of process temperature and feedstock amount with emphasis on the yield and composition of the WPSAC obtained. The WPSAC was tested as dye adsorbent in removing methylene blue. This pyrolysis approach provided a fast heating rate (37.5°/min) and short process time (20 min) in transforming WPS into WPSAC, recording a product yield of 40 wt%. The WPSAC was detected with high BET surface area (≥ 1200 m²/g), low ash content (< 5 wt%), and high pore volume (≥ 0.54 cm³/g), thus recording high adsorption efficiency of 440 mg of dye/g. The desirable process features (fast heating rate, short process time) and the recovery of WPSAC suggest the exceptional promise of the single-step microwave pyrolysis approach to produce high-grade WPSAC from WPS.