The influence of the precursor and synthesis method on the CO2 capture capacity of carpet waste-based sorbents

Adsorption is one of the most promising technologies for reducing CO2 emissions and at present several different types of sorbents are being investigated. The use of sorbents obtained from low-cost and abundant precursors (i.e. solid wastes) appears an attractive strategy to adopt because it will contribute to a reduction not only in operational costs but also in the amount of waste that is dumped and burned in landfills every year. Following on from previous studies by the authors, in this work several carbon-based adsorbents were developed from different carpet wastes (pre-consumer and post-consumer wastes) by chemical activation with KOH at various activation temperatures (600-900 degrees C) and KOH:char impregnation ratios (0.5:1 to 4:1). The prepared materials were characterised by chemical analysis and gas adsorption (N-2, -196 degrees C; CO2, 0 degrees C), and tested for CO2 adsorption at temperatures of 25 and 100 degrees C. It was found that both the type of precursor and the conditions of activation (i.e. impregnation ratios, and activation temperatures), had a huge influence on the microporosity of the resultant samples and their CO2 capture capacities. The carbon-based adsorbent that presented the maximum CO2 capture capacities at 25 and 100 degrees C (13.8 wt.% and 3.1 wt.%, respectively), was prepared from a pre-consumer carpet waste and was activated at 700 degrees C using a KOH:char impregnation ratio of 1:1. This sample showed the highest narrow microporosity volume (0.47 cm(3) g(-1)), thus confirming that only pores of less than 1 nm are effective for CO2 adsorption at atmospheric pressure. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.