Thermal transformation of betulin by alkaline activation

Abstract

Carbonization of betulin (betulinol) as an individual carbon precursor was studied in the temperature range of 400–800°C in the presence of KOH. Differential thermal analysis and IR spectroscopy were used to determine the influence of KOH on major structural changes and the chemical composition of betulin, which occur at 400–500°C. It was shown by scanning electron microscopy and BET analysis that KOH promoted the formation of a developed specific surface (S_BET 1350–2100 m²/g) at temperatures of 600–800°C and had the greatest influence on the textural and adsorption properties of the resulting porous carbon adsorbents. It has been found that the formation of microporous carbon materials with a pore size of 1.92 nm and a specific micropore surface area of 1275 m²/g is possible upon the activation of betulin with KOH at 800°C. Betulin may be proposed to control the porosity of the carbon carriers derived from birch wood.