A chemical modification of activated carbon is demonstrated through boron and nitrogen incorporation via microwave-assisted heating. The surface modification of the activated carbon was imaged by scanning electron microscope. The crystallinity of the material was quantified by X–ray diffraction, and the chemical content as well as bonding environment were investigated using X-ray photoelectron and Raman microscopies. The observed increment in desorption enthalpy of modified activated carbon with methanol as measured through differential scanning calorimetry and its superior thermal stability in air as measured by thermogravimetric analysis suggest that the modified material is a promising candidate for efficient sorption processes in waste thermal and solar energy driven cycles.
