International Journal of Advanced Engineering and Technology

Authors
Iloabachie ICC, Okpe BO, Nnamani TO, Chime AC

Abstract
Carbonization is often used to enhance the structural properties of bio-fiber material like coconut shell. This research work studied the effect of two carbonization temperatures 450^oC and 850^oC on the proximate analysis of coconut shell. The coconut shell was sun dried for 48 hours before being carbonized in a heat treatment furnace. The heating rate was 5^oC/min with a soaking time of three hours. The carbonized coconut shell was then heated in a muffler furnace for proximate analysis in observance of ASTM standards E-871, E-1755, E- 872 for moisture at 110^oC, ash at 715^oC and volatile matter at 925^oC using a muffler furnace. The result of the proximate analysis showed that fixed carbon content was higher at 850^oC as a result of pyrolytic decomposition of the raw coconut shell. Also the volatile matter was drastically reduced at 850^oC. Lower ash content was again obtained at 850^oC.