Cotton gin trash (CGT) was used to produce activated carbon via pyrolysis and steam activation. To determine the effect of pyrolysis temperature and retention time on the properties of activated carbon, optimization of the pyrolysis conditions at temperatures of 400, 600, 800, 1000 and 1200 degC were made. Char production rates were also determined by varying the heating rates. This was accomplished by varying the speeds of the auger of the laboratory-scale pyrolyzer. Steam activation of the product char were made at different combination of steam loading (lbs steam/lbs carbon), pressure (psi above ambient), temperatures (400-1200C) and retention times. Iodine number determination and methylene blue adsorption were used to characterize the micropore and mesopore fractions formed during the activation process. The values were compared with commercially available granular activated carbons.

Keywords: activated carbon, adsorption, cotton gin trash, mesopore, micropore, methylene blue, pyrolysis steam activation