Preparation of activated carbons from cattle-manure compost by zinc chloride activation.

Dried cattle-manure compost was pyrolyzed by a one-step process to obtain activated carbon using chemical activation by zinc chloride. The influence of activation parameters such as ZnCl(2) to cattle-manure compost (ZnCl(2)/CMC) ratio, activation temperature and retention time on the final products was investigated. The resultant activated carbons were characterized by nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms at 77 K. The results showed that the surface area and pore volume of activated carbons, which were estimated by BET and t-plot methods, were achieved as high as 2170 m(2)/g and 1.70 cm(3)/g in their highest value, respectively. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was carried out to monitor the pyrolysis process of cattle-manure compost (CMC) and ZnCl(2) impregnated one (ZnCl(2)/CMC). The capabilities of phenol adsorption were also examined for the CMC carbons prepared with various treatments.