Morphological Evaluation of the Blended Microalgae-Activated Carbon (Mass Ratio 10:7) for Considering Its Impact on Thermal Conversion Processes

¹ Center for Renewable Fuels Research (CRFR), Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Universitas Negeri Malang, Jl. Semarang No 5, Malang, 65145, Indonesia
² Center of Advanced Materials for Renewable Energy (CAMRY), Universitas Negeri Malang, Jl. Semarang No 5, Malang, 65145, Indonesia

^* Corresponding author: sukarni.ft@um.ac.id

Abstract

Morphology, including size, shape, and structure, plays a crucial role in determining heat and mass transfer within materials during thermal conversion processes. This study presents a concise overview of research conducted on the morphological evaluation of a blended composite consisting of microalgae and activated carbon, with a mass ratio of 10:7. To ensure homogeneity, the mixture was stirred simultaneously at 1200 rpm for 30 minutes. The blended microalgae-activated carbon composite was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to examine its surface structure and morphology. The SEM images revealed the presence of predominantly flake-shaped particles in the sample. The particle size distribution, determined from the SEM images, indicated that particles of approximately 30 μm in size were the most dominant. Considering the impact of this blended composite on thermal conversion processes, the findings suggest that the combination of both materials significantly enhances reactivity during thermal conversion.