Zvinowanda, Caliphs M.Okonkwo, Jonathan O.Agyei, Nana M.Shabalala, Pride N.2024-10-022024-10-022008-08-090021-8995 (P)1097-4628 (E)10.1002/app.29213https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14519/750In this study, various physicochemical parameters were evaluated for maize tassel, a novel adsorbent. The Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) isotherm was used to experimentally model N2-adsorption data (up to a relative pressure of 0.30); the results indicated that the powdered material was mesoporous with a BET specific surface area, total volume (up to a relative pressure of 0.98), and average pore width (4V/A by BET) of 2.52 m2/g, 0.0045 cm3/g, and 7.2 nm, respectively, for the 150–300-lm fraction. Laser diffraction pattern analysis yielded particle size distributions for the 45–50-, 50–150-, and 150–300-lm fractions. High-resolution scanning electron microscopy revealed a microstructure showing predominantly flattish, rodlike particles. The material exhibited stability to thermal decomposition up to about 230C, as evidenced by the results obtained from simultaneous thermogravimetry/differential thermal analysis and differential scanning calorimetry.1923-1930 PagesenAttribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 Internationalhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/AdsorptionDifferential scanning calorimetry (DSC)Electron microscopyMicrostructureParticle size distributionArticle