Activated carbon-doped with iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe2O3 NPs) preparation: Controlling size, shapes and purity

18^th International Conference and Exhibition on Materials Science and Engineering

May 28-30, 2018 Osaka, Japan

Settakorn Upasen and Naruporn Vasontarujiroj

Burapha University, Thailand

Posters & Accepted Abstracts: J Material Sci Eng

Abstract :

Inspired by the intensively studies of activated carbon used as high performance adsorbent materials, we prepared iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe2O3 NPs) and produced activated carbon doped with iron oxide nanoparticle (GAC-Fe2O3 NPs). The synthesis method was a facile chemical precipitation using sodium hydroxide (NaOH) as precipitant agent. The impact of varying the molar ratio of reactant and precipitant (1:1, 1:1.5, 1:2) and of varying precipitating temperature (50, 70, 90 oC) were explored. Production yield of synthesized Fe2O3 NPs and GAC-Fe2O3 NPs were also reported. The physical and chemical characteristic of the synthesized samples were examined by transmission electron microscope (TEM), Brunauer��? Emmett��?Teller analysis (BET), thermogravimetry analysis (TGA), Fourier transform infra-red (FT-IR) and ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometer. The smallest synthesized Fe2O3 NPs of 10 nm (approximate size) with specific surface area of 110 m2/g were obtained for preparing with the FeCl3:NaOH molar ratio of 1:1 at 70 oC and with the FeCl3:NaOH molar ratio of 1:1.5 at 90 oC. With higher FeCl3:NaOH molar ratio and higher precipitating temperature, the synthesized Fe2O3 NPs formed more rugby shape with finer surface. By the chemical characteristic, we observed the impurity about 5-10 wt.% devoted for sodium salt due to insufficient purification. Minimal Fe2O3 NPs coated on activated carbon were about 75 wt.% for the synthesis at molar ratio of the FeCl3:NaOH 1:1.5 and 70 oC. The Fe2O3 NPs production yield was about 45-60% and 75-80% for the synthesized Fe2O3 NPs and Fe2O3 NPs doped activated carbon, respectively. settakorn@eng.buu.ac.th