Carbon Sphere/Activated Carbon Composite Materials Prepared by Solvothermal Method

Using glucose and commercial activated carbon (AC) were as starting material, carbon sphere was synthesized on the surface and interior of pores of AC by solvothermal method and a new composite carbon material was prepared which was rich in oxygen-containing functional groups. Nitrogen adsorption isotherm and SEM were used for the observation of pore structure and surface morphology. FTIR and XPS were used for oxygen-containing functional groups analysis. Cr(VI) was used as inorganic metal ion model for adsorption capacity measurement. The results show that micrometer carbon sphere rich in oxygen-containing functional groups can be effectively anchored on the surface of AC. The obtained carbon composites exhibit remarkable enhanced adsorption capacity for Cr(VI) in terms of per mass or per surface area, which is approximately 4 and 95 times of that for AC(raw), respectively. The size and dispersion of carbon spheres are dependent on the concentration Of glucose, as well as the generated oxygen-containing functional groups. With the increase of glucose concentration, the porosity decreases and the number of oxygen-containing functional groups increases and C-OH becomes dominant.