Abstract: The preparation of activated carbon was carried out using bamboo as material via pyrolysis self-activation under micro-positive pressure without activating agent. The pore formation mechanism of activated carbon was investigated based on its structural characterization and adsorption properties. The results showed that the generated CO₂ and H₂O could react with solid carbon to prepare activated carbon with high adsorption performance during the pyrolysis process. The main influences on pore structure and adsorption properties of bamboo activated carbon were the pyrolysis gas, humogeneous activation, equilibrium state of gas-carbon reversible reaction, diffusion rate of activator and gas-carbon reaction rate. The activated carbon was prepared under the pyrolysis self-activation of bamboo 0.12 MPa at 900℃ (15℃/min heating rate) for 6 h. The yield of the product was 15.22% with the BET specific surface area(S_BET), micropore volume(V_mic), mesopore volume(V_mes), iodine value and methylene blue (MB) value of activated carbon were 1 108 m²/g, 0.407 cm³/g, 0.085 cm³/g, 1 438 mg/g and 300 mg/g, respectively. Moreover, the gas by-product of self-activation contained high concentration of H₂ and CO and exhibited a high ratio of CO to CO₂, which could be raw materials for Fischer-Tropsch reaction.

Key words: bamboo derived activated carbon, self-activation, micro-positive pressure, regulation mechanism