Investigation of the properties of modified lignin-derived porous carbon for Lead removal

Lignin, a polymer found in wood with carbon content up to 60 %, has potential applications in producing porous carbon as an adsorbent material, but its synthesis using chemical activation requires a large amount of activating agent, which can cause production problems. To address this issue, the study examined the effect of adding acrylic acid to lignin during the hydrothermal process to reduce potassium hydroxide consumption in porous carbon production. Results showed that adding acrylic acid increased surface area from 283 m2/g to 653 m2/g, and also, the maximum lead adsorption capacity of 196 mg/g was achieved by the synthesized porous carbon.