Development of Activated Carbon Derived from Banana Peel for Carbon Dioxide Removal

The focal point of this research is to study the prospective of using banana peel as potential adsorbent for eliminating carbon dioxide from polluted air in the atmosphere. This project work highlights on the constraints involved in the preparation of the banana peel bio-sorbent, such as activating agent, impregnation ratio, activation temperature and period of activation. Initially, the withered banana peel is grinded into powder form, then chemically activated using potassium hydroxide and activated at altered ranges of temperature and duration. This carbonization process allows the formation of activated carbon, one of a common type of adsorbent used globally especially in industries‟ effluent treating. Micromeritics ASAP 2020 and Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope were used in identifying the best sample preparation method with the largest surface area which directly contributes to the effectiveness of adsorbent in removing carbon dioxide (CO2). In addition, the activated carbons developed from banana peel are also verified for their adsorption capacity with harmful greenhouse gas such as carbon dioxide using HPVA II analyzer. The samples were also analysed for its elemental composition before and after carbonization which results in 60.87 wt% and 58.18 wt% of carbon content respectively. Sample A10 was identified to yield activated carbon with largest surface area, SBET of 260.3941 m2/g and pore diameter, 0.2508 nm which falls in sub-microporous category. Sample A10 with particle size 0.25 mm was prepared using potassium hydroxide as activating agent with impregnation ratio of 1:1 and carbonized at 400°C for two hours. This sample of A10 is then further tested for the carbon dioxide adsorption test at 25°C which proved to adsorb carbon dioxide gas.