Abstract
In this study, sugarcane bagasse was used to prepare urea phosphate activated carbons (UPACs) using a novel activator urea phosphate (UP) at three different temperatures (300 ℃, 550 ℃, and 800 ℃) to analyze the reaction mechanism during the pyrolysis process by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy (Raman), elemental analysis, and thermogravimetric Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy-mass spectrometry (TG-FTIR-MS), to deduce the reaction mechanism of UP activation. Below 300 °C, the functional groups on the surface of sugarcane bagasse fibers undergo hydroxyl dehydration and oxidation reactions, and molecular chains were broken to produce H2O, CH4, CO2, H2, HCHO, and NH3 small molecule gas products. At 300–800 °C was the main temperature range for activation reactions, and the molecular structure gradually formed an ordered carbon network structure. Nitrogen-containing compounds were gradually transformed into graphite N and oxidized N as temperature increased and functional groups containing phosphorus underwent decomposition. Above 800 °C, the pyrolysis was basically complete. Phosphorus compounds were completely decomposed, with fewer macromolecular products and gaseous products being mainly H2O, CO2, CO, and HCHO.
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Acknowledgments
This work was supported by the Materials Center of Tsinghua University. We acknowledge Beijing Zhongkebaice Technology Service Co., Ltd. for the characterization results.
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The National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 32060322).
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All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection and analysis were performed by H.Z. The first draft of the manuscript was written by H.Z. and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. Funding, writing review, supervision and validation of the thesis is the responsibility of Z.L. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
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Zuo, H., Liu, Z. Thermal and structural analysis of the reaction mechanisms during the preparation of activated carbon from sugarcane bagasse by urea phosphate activation. Cellulose 31, 793–808 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10570-023-05622-w
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10570-023-05622-w