Pore structure characterization of coconut shell char with narrow microporosity

To get more insight into the pore structure characterization of nanoporous biomass chars, different probe molecules, models, and calibration steps were used and compared. The coconut shell chars (CSCs) were prepared under a steam atmosphere and characterized using N₂, Ar, and CO₂ adsorption. The results show that coconut shell chars are suitable for further activation, due to the high carbon content and abundant porosity. Ar adsorption with application of Non-Local Density Functional Theory (NLDFT) model can more accurately characterize the pore structure of CSC. When the calibration step is performed before adsorption measurement, the important results of N₂ and Ar adsorption, such as pores size distribution (PSD) and isotherm, are affected by pore blocking, leading to the erroneous understanding of CSC in special applications. Vacuum treatment at 273 K for 1 h after He calibration is enough to remove He, which could reduce effect of pore blocking.