Abstract:
The rubber plant is an industrial plant which generally only uses the sap, while other parts such as the
shells of the rubber pods are not utilized and only become waste. Rubber fruit shell (CBK) contains
18.00% hemicellulose, 61.04% cellulose and 21.60% lignin, which is a carbon source for making
activated charcoal adsorbents. This study aims to convert rubber fruit shells into charcoal through a
physical activation process at various temperatures (250, 300, 400)℃. This research was conducted by
means of chemical activation using 5% ZnCl2 and physical activation at various temperatures (250, 300,
400)℃. The rubber fruit shell activated charcoal produced was characterized by determining the
adsorption capacity of iodine. The results of the characterization of the adsorption capacity of iodine
amounted to 1,448.83 mg g-1. The results obtained by the adsorption capacity of iodine have met the SNI
standard no. 06- 3730-1995.
