Production and Physicochemical Characterization of Activated Carbon from the Mesocarp of the Coconut (<i>Cocos nucifera</i> L.) Variety Alto del Pacifico
The mesocarp, a by-product of coconut production, consists of a fibrous outer layer and a medullary tissue. These fibers can be utilized as an alternative source for producing activated carbon (AC). This study presents a method for producing activated carbon from coconut mesocarp fibers (CMFs) using...
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2025-05-01
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| author | Gabriela Ramos Clamont Montfort José A. Azamar-Barrios Patricia Quintana-Owen Víctor Rejón-Moo William S. González-Gómez Tomás J. Madera-Santana |
| author_facet | Gabriela Ramos Clamont Montfort José A. Azamar-Barrios Patricia Quintana-Owen Víctor Rejón-Moo William S. González-Gómez Tomás J. Madera-Santana |
| author_sort | Gabriela Ramos Clamont Montfort |
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| description | The mesocarp, a by-product of coconut production, consists of a fibrous outer layer and a medullary tissue. These fibers can be utilized as an alternative source for producing activated carbon (AC). This study presents a method for producing activated carbon from coconut mesocarp fibers (CMFs) using a phosphoric acid (H<sub>3</sub>PO<sub>4</sub>) solution as the activating agent. The chemical activation process involves two stages: (1) carbonization of the CMFs, and (2) activation with H<sub>3</sub>PO<sub>4</sub> at elevated temperatures. AC was characterized by its structural, thermal, surface morphological, and elemental properties. The resulting AC developed a lamellar structure with a porous network. Notably, the AC treated with a 60% <i>v</i>/<i>v</i> H<sub>3</sub>PO<sub>4</sub> solution demonstrated a BET adsorption surface area of 1508 m<sup>2</sup>/g, a total pore volume of 0.871 cm<sup>3</sup>/g, and an average pore diameter of 2.20 nm. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed the presence of aromatic rings in the AC, while thermogravimetric analysis showed that the AC decomposed at 428 °C, compared to 418 °C for the non-activated carbon. Elemental analysis revealed a 9.04% increase in carbon content in the AC. Producing activated carbon from coconut mesocarp fibers offers a cost-effective method to generate high-surface-area activated carbon from agro-industrial waste. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Kabale University |
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| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Chemistry |
| spelling | doaj-art-cd7a11ec77d44d93b329abfeb4ae52ff2025-08-20T03:26:16ZengMDPI AGChemistry2624-85492025-05-01738810.3390/chemistry7030088Production and Physicochemical Characterization of Activated Carbon from the Mesocarp of the Coconut (<i>Cocos nucifera</i> L.) Variety Alto del PacificoGabriela Ramos Clamont Montfort0José A. Azamar-Barrios1Patricia Quintana-Owen2Víctor Rejón-Moo3William S. González-Gómez4Tomás J. Madera-Santana5Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, Carr. Gustavo E. Astiazarán Rosas. No. 46. Col. La Victoria, Hermosillo 83304, Sonora, MexicoDepartment of Applied Physics, Center for Research and Advanced Studies, Campus Merida, Km 6 Carretera Antigua a Progreso, Cordemex, Mérida 97310, Yucatán, MexicoDepartment of Applied Physics, Center for Research and Advanced Studies, Campus Merida, Km 6 Carretera Antigua a Progreso, Cordemex, Mérida 97310, Yucatán, MexicoDepartment of Applied Physics, Center for Research and Advanced Studies, Campus Merida, Km 6 Carretera Antigua a Progreso, Cordemex, Mérida 97310, Yucatán, MexicoDepartment of Applied Physics, Center for Research and Advanced Studies, Campus Merida, Km 6 Carretera Antigua a Progreso, Cordemex, Mérida 97310, Yucatán, MexicoCentro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, Carr. Gustavo E. Astiazarán Rosas. No. 46. Col. La Victoria, Hermosillo 83304, Sonora, MexicoThe mesocarp, a by-product of coconut production, consists of a fibrous outer layer and a medullary tissue. These fibers can be utilized as an alternative source for producing activated carbon (AC). This study presents a method for producing activated carbon from coconut mesocarp fibers (CMFs) using a phosphoric acid (H<sub>3</sub>PO<sub>4</sub>) solution as the activating agent. The chemical activation process involves two stages: (1) carbonization of the CMFs, and (2) activation with H<sub>3</sub>PO<sub>4</sub> at elevated temperatures. AC was characterized by its structural, thermal, surface morphological, and elemental properties. The resulting AC developed a lamellar structure with a porous network. Notably, the AC treated with a 60% <i>v</i>/<i>v</i> H<sub>3</sub>PO<sub>4</sub> solution demonstrated a BET adsorption surface area of 1508 m<sup>2</sup>/g, a total pore volume of 0.871 cm<sup>3</sup>/g, and an average pore diameter of 2.20 nm. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed the presence of aromatic rings in the AC, while thermogravimetric analysis showed that the AC decomposed at 428 °C, compared to 418 °C for the non-activated carbon. Elemental analysis revealed a 9.04% increase in carbon content in the AC. Producing activated carbon from coconut mesocarp fibers offers a cost-effective method to generate high-surface-area activated carbon from agro-industrial waste.https://www.mdpi.com/2624-8549/7/3/88activated carboncoconut mesocarp fibersphysicochemical propertiessurface areamorphological analysis |
| spellingShingle | Gabriela Ramos Clamont Montfort José A. Azamar-Barrios Patricia Quintana-Owen Víctor Rejón-Moo William S. González-Gómez Tomás J. Madera-Santana Production and Physicochemical Characterization of Activated Carbon from the Mesocarp of the Coconut (<i>Cocos nucifera</i> L.) Variety Alto del Pacifico Chemistry activated carbon coconut mesocarp fibers physicochemical properties surface area morphological analysis |
| title | Production and Physicochemical Characterization of Activated Carbon from the Mesocarp of the Coconut (<i>Cocos nucifera</i> L.) Variety Alto del Pacifico |
| title_full | Production and Physicochemical Characterization of Activated Carbon from the Mesocarp of the Coconut (<i>Cocos nucifera</i> L.) Variety Alto del Pacifico |
| title_fullStr | Production and Physicochemical Characterization of Activated Carbon from the Mesocarp of the Coconut (<i>Cocos nucifera</i> L.) Variety Alto del Pacifico |
| title_full_unstemmed | Production and Physicochemical Characterization of Activated Carbon from the Mesocarp of the Coconut (<i>Cocos nucifera</i> L.) Variety Alto del Pacifico |
| title_short | Production and Physicochemical Characterization of Activated Carbon from the Mesocarp of the Coconut (<i>Cocos nucifera</i> L.) Variety Alto del Pacifico |
| title_sort | production and physicochemical characterization of activated carbon from the mesocarp of the coconut i cocos nucifera i l variety alto del pacifico |
| topic | activated carbon coconut mesocarp fibers physicochemical properties surface area morphological analysis |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2624-8549/7/3/88 |
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