Porous Carbon Materials Produced by the Chemical Activation of Birch Wood

Abstract

It was established that the main factors responsible for the yield and specific surface area of porous carbon materials obtained by the chemical activation of the wood of birch are the nature of a modifying agent and the temperature of pyrolysis. The additional opening of the porous structure of the product of the chem ical activation of wood occurs at the stage of its water treatment as a result of the removal of water soluble compounds. The conditions of the carbonization of birch wood modified with H3PO4, KOH, and ZnCl2 were chosen in order to provide the significant development of the porous structure of carbon materials. The porous carbon material with the highest specific surface area (more than 2560 m2/g) was obtained by the water washing of the product of the carbonization of birch wood modified H3PO4 at 400°C.