Development of Activated Carbon Spheres by Chemical Activation of Styrene-Divinyl Benzene Sulfonate Copolymer Beads

Microporous activated carbon spheres with a high Brunnauer-Emmet-Teller (BET) surface area were prepared by pyrolysing styrene - divinylbenzene sulfonate copolymer beads in presence of chemical activating agents like anhydrous Zinc chloride, aluminium chloride (AlCl3), Ferric chloride (Fe Cl-3), phosphoric acid and sulfuric acid (H2SO4) under inert atmosphere. Styrene-divinylbenzene copolymer beads P (St-DVB) were prepared by suspension copolmerization of styrene and DVB in presence of cyclohexanol as dilunet using benzoyl peroxide and magnesium hydroxide as initiator and suspending agent respectively in water at 80 degrees C under inert atmosphere. These beads were further functionalized by sulfonation using H2SO4 and silver sulfate. Effect of time, temperature and concentration of activating agent on the surface properties of activated carbon spheres were investigated. It was observed that H2SO4 acts as a better activating agent and results into activated carbon spheres(ACS) with relatively high surface area (972 m2 /g) in comparison to other activating agents. ACS were also characterized for compressive strength, % adsorption and surface morphology Percent adsorption of chemicals particularly simulants of chemical warfare agents suggest these activated carbon spheres as potential adsorbents for chemical warfare agents.