Synthesis of Activated Carbon Using Bagasse and Recycled Carbon Fibers

Activated carbon was prepared using bagasse and carbon fiber (RCF) recycled from carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP). The RCF surface has a sufficient amount of functional groups and can be used as a catalyst for the hydrolysis of bagasse cellulose. An RCF‐bagasse composite was fabricated by ultrasonic irradiation. During cellulose hydrolysis, carbon from the bagasse was activated with sulfuric acid, which impregnated the cellulose pores. When bagasse was subjected to high temperatures, the impregnated pores decomposed, resulting in micropores. The addition of RCF increased the specific surface area of activated carbon by up to 20 % when heat treatment was performed at a temperature higher than the carbonization temperature of bagasse. A recycling method for carbon fibers shorter than the critical fiber length is presented, with the aim of producing activated carbon with a high specific surface area and well‐developed micropores using bagasse as a raw material with the carbon fiber recycled from carbon fiber reinforced polymer. This method could also be applied to produce activated carbon with lignocellulose as a raw material.