Preparation and Characterization of Victorian Brown Coal derived Carbon Monoliths and their Environmental Applications

This thesis investigates the transformative potential of carbon materials derived from soft brown coal. A novel method produces high surface-area active carbons in a 'honeycomb monolith’ (HM) configuration that retain their structural integrity as a consequence of a unique hydrogen bonding network. These activated carbons exhibit enhanced porosity, aromaticity, and graphitization. They find application in formaldehyde removal at trace ppm concentrations, offering a cost-effective and regenerable adsorbents material. Ferromagnetic iron-doped HM catalysts are developed for efficient wastewater treatment, achieving high phenol removal rates even after multiple cycles. Additionally, a low-temperature conversion process for turning brown coal into graphitic carbon is explored. This research opens avenues for the versatile use of soft brown coal in various real world environmental applications.