ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Microporous carbon fibers prepared by carbonization of cellulose as carriers of particles of active substances

Ivan Novák, Ondrej Šauša, Igor Maťko, Esra Simsek Bilgin, and Dušan Berek

Polymer Institute, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia

E-mail: ondrej.sausa@savba.sk

Received: 2 July 2019  Accepted: 21 October 2019

Abstract:

Microporous carbon fibers prepared by controlled carbonization of cellulose proved promising carrier of nano- and microparticles of solid active substances. The average pore size of the carbon fibers ranges from 0.5 to 0.6 nm and, therefore, molecules of many low- molecular substances are excluded. Consequently, the nano- and microparticles formed by precipitation of a solution in the presence of fibers are deposited exclusively on their outer surface. In this way, composite materials with favorable macro-structure can be created because large surface of appropriate active substance remains easily accessible for the desired action. Technical problems connected with the direct application of nano- and microparticles are avoided. The practical advantages of the microporous carbon fibers prepared from cellulose comprise feasibility of their preparation, as well as general availability and low price of the raw material. Moreover, compared to particulate carriers with identical diameter, fibrous carriers exhibit reduced resistance against flow of liquids and gases. The pertinence of carriers based on the microporous carbon fibers prepared from delignified cellulose has been tested with the deposition of nano- and microparticles of hydrated ferric hydroxide, Fe(OH)₃·(H₂O)_n. Compared with particulate ferric hydroxide, the resulting heterogeneous composite showed increased efficiency in adsorptive removal of harmful arsenic from water.

Keywords: Carbonization of cellulose; Microporous carbon fibers; Composite materials; Hydrated ferric hydroxide; Arsenic removal

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.1007/s11696-019-00972-x

Chemical Papers 74 (4) 1359–1365 (2020)