Structural, magnetic and adsorption characteristics of magnetically susceptible carbon sorbents based on natural raw materials

The article comprises synthesis of magnetically susceptible carbon sorbents based on bio raw materials – beet pulp. The synthesis was performed by one- and two-step methodology using FeCl3 as an activating agent. X-ray diffraction methods showed an increase in the distance between graphene layers to 3.7 Å in biocarbon synthesized by a two-step technique and a slight decrease in inter-graphene distance to 3.55 Å for biocarbon synthesized by an one-step technique. In both magnetically susceptible samples, the Fe3O4 magnetite phase was identified. Biocarbon synthesized by a two-step technique is characterized by a microporous structure in which a significant volume fraction (about 35%) is made by pores of 2.2 and 5 nm radius. In the sample after a one-step synthesis, a significant increase in the fraction of pores with radii from 5 to 30 nm and a decrease in the proportion of pores with radii greater than 30 nm can be detected. Based on the analysis of low-angle X-ray scattering data, it is established that carbon without magnetic activation has the smallest specific area of 212 m2∙сm–3, carbon after one-stage synthesis has a slightly larger area of 280 m2∙сm–3, and after two-stage synthesis has the largest specific surface area in 480 m2∙сm–3. The adsorption isotherms of blue methylene have been studied. Biocarbon ob-tained by two-step synthesis has been shown to have significantly better adsorption properties than other synthesized biocarbons. Isotherms have been analysed based on the Langmuir model.