Abstract
Activated carbons were prepared from phenolic fiber with sodium hydroxide by means of heating with microwave plasma (MWP) of argon. The purpose of this paper is to elucidate the superiority of the MWP heating to the heating with microwave or electric furnace, as well as to investigate the development of the BET specific surface area with alkali by the MWP heating.
Carbon with a high specific surface area (over 2000m2/g) was obtained with a high yield (35 wt%) under the MWP heating within a very short time (10min) heating of phenolic fiber. The thermal efficiency on the solid phase could be considered as an effective factor. The increase of the surface area in a very short time could be attributed to the attack of active species in the MWP zone.
