STUDY OF THE STRUCTURE AND SURFACE MORPHOLOGY OF ACTIVATED CARBON FROM BLACK CUMIN SEED MEAL (Nigella sativa L.)

The present study explores the potential of black cumin seed meal (Nigella sativa L.) (a by-product of industrial oil extraction) to produce activated carbon. The meal was carbonized at 500°C and chemically activated with 85 % H₃PO₄ at 500°C for 1 h. The obtained materials were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), and elemental analysis (C, H and N). FT-IR spectra revealed the formation of a carbonized structure with surface oxygenated and phosphate functional groups. SEM micrographs provided a visual indication of a developed surface morphology with finely distributed pores; however, this observation does not substitute for a quantitative pore structure analysis such as N₂-sorption/BET. The obtained results confirm that black cumin seed meal can be used as a promising material for activated carbon production under phosphoric acid activation.