Preparation and Specific Surface Area of Active Carbon from Plastics

Abstract

Specific surface area of active carbons prepared from poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC), urea resin, melamine resin, furfuryl alcohol resin and phenol furfural resin was measured. Experimental conditions were as follows: Carbonization temperature: 600-700 C, activation temperature: 750-lOOO C and activation time: O.3-18 hours.Reaction rate of carbon with steam was zero-order with respect to the carbon for wood charcoal, but it was first-order for carbonized materials from plastics (Fig.1, 2)Active carbon could not be prepared from PVC carbon carbonized in a stream of nitrogen (Fig.5). Active carbons with specific surface area as high as 2000 m2/g were successfully prepared from PVC powder containing 5 wt % of zinc stearate (Fig.6). The maximum value of specific surface area of active carbon from PVC pipe was 570 m2/g (Fig.7).Active carbons with specific surface area as high as 1300, 800, and 2200 m2/g were prepared from urea resin, me1amine resin and furan resin, respectively (Fig.8, 9).