A Novel, Cost-Effective Post-Doping Method to Produce Nitrogen-Doped Activated Carbon from Rice Husk for CO2 Adsorption

Reza Joia; Naseer Mukhlis; Abdulraouf Rashid; Meiram Atamanov; Azizullah Yosufi

doi:10.62810/jnsr.v4i1.335

Authors

Reza Joia Department of Chemistry, Education Faculty, Nimruz University, Nimruz, Afghanistan
Naseer Mukhlis Department of Horticulture, Agriculture Faculty, Nimruz University, Nimruz, Afghanistan
Abdulraouf Rashid Department of Chemistry, Education Faculty, Bamyan University, Bamyan, Afghanistan
Meiram Atamanov Department of Chemical Physics and Material Science, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, al-farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Azizullah Yosufi Department of Chemistry, Education Faculty, Bamyan University, Bamyan, Afghanistan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.62810/jnsr.v4i1.335

Keywords:

Chemical activation, CO₂ adsorption, N-doped AC, post- doping method, Rice husk

Abstract

Nitrogen-doped activated carbon (N-doped AC) from agricultural waste offers a low-cost route to solid sorbents for post-combustion CO₂ capture. However, there are limited straightforward and scale-up methods available to produce N-doped AC with large surface area, high nitrogen content, and strong CO₂ adsorption. Thus, this study aims to synthesize rice husk derived N-doped AC, by optimizing the surface morphology and nitrogen functionality to enhance CO₂ Capture efficiency and to quantifies adsorption, correlating the gains with BET surface area and microporosity. Rice husk was carbonized via pyrrole-assisted pyrolysis at 450 for 45 min with a 90 min dwell, the carbonized rice husk was then activated chemically using a 4:1 ratio of KOH to carbonized rice husk, heated to 800 at a ramp rate of 15 per min under a flow of N₂ gas at 150 ml/min for 60 min, Subsequently, N-doping was performed by immersing the activated carbon in a urea solution with a mass ratio of 4:1 (urea solution to AC) at 600 for 60 min. The obtained N-doped AC exhibits a remarkable surface area of 2986.6 m²/g and a significantly enhanced CO₂ adsorption capacity of 6.5 mmol/g under ambient conditions. Incorporating approximately 6% nitrogen into the carbon structure optimizes its porosity and structural properties. The integrated carbonization, activation, urea post-doping sequence provides a reproducible pathway to high performance, waste derived CO₂ sorbents, highlighting rice husk as a viable feedstock and underscoring the synergistic roles of micro/mesoporosity and nitrogen functionalities in boosting physisorption dominated CO₂capture.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Alabadi, A., a Abbood, H., & Dawood, A. (2020). Ultrahigh-CO 2 Adsorption Capacity and CO 2 /N 2 Selectivity by Nitrogen-Doped Porous Activated Carbon Monolith. Bulletin of the Chemical Society of Japan. https://doi.org/10.1246/bcsj.20190336 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1246/bcsj.20190336

Alabadi, A., Abbood, H. A., Li, Q., Jing, N., & Tan, B. (2016). Imine-Linked Polymer Based Nitrogen-Doped Porous Activated Carbon for Efficient and Selective CO(2) Capture. Scientific Reports, 6, 38614. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep38614 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/srep38614

Bari, G. A. K. M. R., & Jeong, J.-H. (2023). Porous Carbon for CO2 Capture Technology: Unveiling Fundamentals and Innovations. Surfaces, 6(3), 316–340. https://doi.org/10.3390/surfaces6030023 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/surfaces6030023

Chew, T. W., H’Ng, P. S., Luqman Chuah Abdullah, B. C. T. G., Chin, K. L., Lee, C. L., Mohd Nor Hafizuddin, B. M. S., & TaungMai, L. (2023). A Review of Bio-Based Activated Carbon Properties Produced from Different Activating Chemicals during Chemicals Activation Process on Biomass and Its Potential for Malaysia. Materials, 16(23). https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16237365 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16237365

Ding, S., Dong, Q., Hu, J., Xiao, W., Liu, X., Liao, L., & Zhang, N. (2016). Enhanced selective adsorption of CO2 on nitrogen-doped porous carbon monoliths derived from IRMOF-3. Chem. Commun., 52(63), 9757–9760. https://doi.org/10.1039/C6CC04416F DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/C6CC04416F

Geng, Z., Xiao, Q., Lv, H., Li, B., Wu, H., Lu, Y., & Zhang, C. (2016). One-Step Synthesis of Microporous Carbon Monoliths Derived from Biomass with High Nitrogen Doping Content for Highly Selective CO2 Capture. Scientific Reports, 6(1), 30049. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep30049 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/srep30049

Guo, T., Zhang, Y., Chen, J., Liu, W., Geng, Y., Bedane, A. H., & Du, Y. (2024). Investigation of CO2 adsorption on nitrogen-doped activated carbon based on porous structure and surface acid-base sites. Case Studies in Thermal Engineering, 53, 103925. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.csite.2023.103925 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.csite.2023.103925

Joia, R., Atamanov, M., Umbetkaliev, K., Mohammadi, M. H., Sarwari, S. R., & Modaqeq, T. (2024). Exploring the versatile production techniques and applications of nitrogen-doped activated carbon. Thermal Science and Engineering, 7(1), 5842. https://doi.org/10.24294/tse.v7i1.5842 DOI: https://doi.org/10.24294/tse.v7i1.5842

Jones, M. W., Peters, G. P., Gasser, T., Andrew, R. M., Schwingshackl, C., Gütschow, J., Houghton, R. A., Friedlingstein, P., Pongratz, J., & Le Quéré, C. (2023). National contributions to climate change due to historical emissions of carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide since 1850. Scientific Data, 10(1), 155. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-023-02041-1 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-023-02041-1

Karimi, M., Shirzad, M., Silva, J. A. C., & Rodrigues, A. E. (2023). Carbon dioxide separation and capture by adsorption: a review. Environmental Chemistry Letters, 1–44. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10311-023-01589-z DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10311-023-01589-z

Kundu, S., Khandaker, T., Anik, M. A.-A. M., Hasan, M. K., Dhar, P. K., Dutta, S. K., Latif, M. A., & Hossain, M. S. (2024). A comprehensive review of enhanced CO2 capture using activated carbon derived from biomass feedstock. RSC Adv., 14(40), 29693–29736. https://doi.org/10.1039/D4RA04537H DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/D4RA04537H

Li, L., Wang, Y., Gu, X., Yang, Q., & Zhao, X. (2016). Increasing the CO2 /N2 Selectivity with a Higher Surface Density of Pyridinic Lewis Basic Sites in Porous Carbon Derived from a Pyridyl-Ligand-Based Metal-Organic Framework. Chemistry, an Asian Journal, 11(13), 1913–1920. https://doi.org/10.1002/asia.201600427 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/asia.201600427

Li, T., An, X., & Fu, D. (2023). Review on Nitrogen-Doped Porous Carbon Materials for CO2 Adsorption and Separation: Recent Advances and Outlook. Energy & Fuels, 37(12), 8160–8179. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.energyfuels.3c00941 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.energyfuels.3c00941

Li, Z., Feng, S., Yang, X., Lyu, H., Wei, S., & Shen, B. (2025). A review of biomass porous carbon for carbon dioxide adsorption from flue gas: Physicochemical properties and performance. Fuel, 387, 134318. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2025.134318 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2025.134318

Liu, B., Wang, Z., Zhou, L., Wang, T., Zhang, L., Ma, W., Fu, Q., & Chen, X. (2025). Pyridinic and pyrrolic nitrogen-doped porous carbon improves control of N2 and H2 adsorption thermodynamic for N2/H2 separation. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 122, 107–116. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2025.03.328 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2025.03.328

Martin-Roberts, E., Scott, V., Flude, S., Johnson, G., Haszeldine, R. S., & Gilfillan, S. (2021). Carbon capture and storage at the end of a lost decade. One Earth, 4(11), 1569–1584. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2021.10.002 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2021.10.002

Menya, E., Olupot, P. W., Storz, H., Lubwama, M., & Kiros, Y. (2018). Production and performance of activated carbon from rice husks for removal of natural organic matter from water: A review. Chemical Engineering Research and Design, 129, 271–296. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cherd.2017.11.008 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cherd.2017.11.008

Sai Bhargava Reddy, M., Ponnamma, D., Sadasivuni, K. K., Kumar, B., & Abdullah, A. M. (2021). Carbon dioxide adsorption based on porous materials. RSC Advances, 11(21), 12658–12681. https://doi.org/10.1039/d0ra10902a DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/D0RA10902A

Sánchez-Sánchez, Á., Suárez-García, F., Martínez-Alonso, A., & Tascón, J. M. D. (2014). Influence of Porous Texture and Surface Chemistry on the CO2 Adsorption Capacity of Porous Carbons: Acidic and Basic Site Interactions. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 6(23), 21237–21247. https://doi.org/10.1021/am506176e DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/am506176e

Sevilla, M., & Fuertes, A. B. (2011). Sustainable porous carbons with a superior performance for CO2 capture. Energy Environ. Sci., 4(5), 1765–1771. https://doi.org/10.1039/C0EE00784F DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/c0ee00784f

Sevilla, M., Parra, J. B., & Fuertes, A. B. (2013). Assessment of the role of micropore size and N-doping in CO2 capture by porous carbons. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 5(13), 6360–6368. https://doi.org/10.1021/am401423b DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/am401423b

Shibuya, R., Takeyasu, K., Guo, D., Kondo, T., & Nakamura, J. (2022). Chemisorption of CO2 on Nitrogen-Doped Graphitic Carbons. Langmuir, 38(47), 14430–14438. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.langmuir.2c01987 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.langmuir.2c01987

Spessato, L., Duarte, V. A., Fonseca, J. M., Arroyo, P. A., & Almeida, V. C. (2022). Nitrogen-doped activated carbons with high performances for CO2 adsorption. Journal of CO2 Utilization, 61, 102013. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.JCOU.2022.102013 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcou.2022.102013

Taurbekov, A., Abdisattar, A., Atamanov, M., Kaidar, B., Yeleuov, M., Joia, R., Amrousse, R., & Atamanova, T. (2023). Investigations of Activated Carbon from Different Natural Sources for Preparation of Binder-Free Few-Walled CNTs / Activated Carbon Electrodes. Journal of Composites Science, 7(453), 1–12. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.3390/jcs7110452 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/jcs7110452

Wood, K., & O’Hayre, R. (2014). Recent progress on nitrogen/carbon structures designed for use in energy and sustainability applications. Energy & Environmental Science, 7. https://doi.org/10.1039/c3ee44078h DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/C3EE44078H

Ye, D., Leung, K. C., Niu, W., Duan, M., Li, J., Ho, P.-L., Szalay, D., Wu, T.-S., Soo, Y.-L., Wu, S., & Tsang, S. C. E. (2024). Active nitrogen sites on nitrogen doped carbon for highly efficient associative ammonia decomposition. IScience, 27(8), 110571. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2024.110571 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2024.110571