Hydrogen storage capacity and methylene blue adsorption performance of activated carbon produced from Arundo donax

Hydrogen storage is an important challenge for the manufacturing and development of hydrogen-powered vehicles, so the hydrogen adsorption performance of the activated carbon obtained from Arundo donax was investigated. Hydrogen uptakes of Arundo donax activated carbon were determined to be 12.87, 0.11, and 0.09 mg/g under pressure of 805 mmHg at 77, 273.15, and 298.15 K, respectively. Furthermore, the adsorption of methylene blue, widely used in textile industry, on Arundo donax activated carbon was studied in detail, and the high methylene blue adsorption capacities of 416.67, 423.73, and 480.77 mg/g were detected at 25, 35, and 45 °C, respectively. Also, Freundlich isotherm model was determined to be the best fitting model for methylene blue adsorption on Arundo donax activated carbon. Kinetic and thermodynamic analyses displayed that methylene blue adsorption on Arundo donax activated carbon was fitting well with pseudo-second order model, endothermic, and spontaneous. [Display omitted] •Hydrogen uptake of Arundo donax derived activated carbon was determined to be 12.87 mg/g under pressure of 805 mmHg at 77 K.•AAC exhibited high MB adsorption capacity.•Freundlich isotherm model was found to be the best fitting model for MB adsorption onto AAC.•EDS analyses helped to determine whether or not there are other elements on AAC surface.