Test Bituminous Coal Activated Carbon by Use Hydrochloric Acid (HCl) Activator as Electrode Material

Abstract

Activated carbon is widely used in various electrochemical applications, one of which is an electrode material. The price is low, and the essential ingredients are easily obtained from various natural materials. The material properties of carbon are very strongly influenced by the method of manufacture. Thus, the selection of synthesis procedures, type of precursor, type of activator, heating rate, and temperature of combustion or pyrolysis makes it easy to control the final product/porous carbon but can also design the type of carbon targeted. Supercapacitor electrodes are a technology developed from conventional capacitors. In this study, bituminous coal was used to turn activated carbon using hydrochloric acid (HCl) activator. This study aimed to determine the characteristics and potential of activated carbon from bituminous coal using hydrochloric acid (HCl) activator as a base material in the manufacture of supercapacitor electrodes. The coal sample is converted into activated carbon, starting with preparing the coal through the carbonization process. Furthermore, the coal powder was crushed and sieved to obtain a uniform size. The coal powder was immersed in the HCl solution, and the HCl solution's concentration varied by: 2.5 M; 3M; 3.5M; 4M; 4.5 M done in duplo. Soaking was carried out for 12 hours, the solution was filtered, and the coal residue was activated using a furnace for 1 hour. The results obtained show that activated carbon has the best concentration in characterizing, namely the concentration of 3.5 M (duplo) with water content, ash content, volatile matter content, bound carbon content, and iodine number comply with SNI standards. 340.1168 mg/g, degree of crystallinity at an angle of 2θ.