Adsorption of acid dye onto activated carbons prepared from agricultural waste bagasse by ZnCl2 activation

A series of activated carbons were prepared from agricultural waste sugarca ne bagasse by chemical activation with zinc chloride (ZnCl2) as an activati ng agent at 500 degreesC and 0.5 It soaking time. The Langmuir surface area and total pore volume were used to estimate the average pore diameter of t he carbon products. The values of the surface area and pore volume increase d linearly with increase in the impregnation ratio (IR) up to 100 wt%. The adsorption capacities of the derived adsorbents for Acid Orange 10 were mea sured at 20 degreesC and 40 degreesC to gain further insights into the acid ic surface oxides of the adsorbent from the results of Fourier transform in frared (FTIR) spectroscopy analysis and pH measurement. Adsorption isotherm s of the acid dye on adsorbents prepared were determined and correlated wit h common isotherm equations. It was found that the Langmuir model appears t o fit the isotherm data better than the Freundlich model. The physical prop erties of these adsorbents were consistent with the parameters obtained fro m the isotherm equations. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserve d.