Preparation of sulfurized powdered activated carbon from waste tires using an innovative compositive impregnation process.
The objective of this study is to develop an innovative compositive impregnation process for preparing sulfurized powdered activated carbon (PAC) from waste tires. An experimental apparatus, including a pyrolysis and activation system and a sulfur (S) impregnation system, was designed and applied to produce sulfurized PAC with a high specific surface area. Experimental tests involved the pyrolysis, activation, and sulfurization of waste tires. Waste-tire-derived PAC (WPAC) was initially produced in the pyrolysis and activation system. Experimental results indicated that the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area of WPAC increased, and the average pore radius of WPAC decreased, as water feed rate and activation time increased. In this study, a conventional direct impregnation process was used to prepare the sulfurized PAC by impregnating WPAC with sodium sulfide (Na2S) solution. Furthermore, an innovative compositive impregnation process was developed and then compared with the conventional direct impregnation process. Experimental results showed that the compositive impregnation process produced the sulfurized WPAC with high BET surface area and a high S content. A maximum BET surface area of 886 m2/g and the S content of 2.61% by mass were obtained at 900 degrees C and at the S feed ratio of 2160 mg Na2S/g C. However, the direct impregnation process led to a BET surface area of sulfurized WPAC that decreased significantly as the S content increased.
Institute of Environmental Engineering, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Republic of China. ycsngi@mail.nsysu.edu.tw
Chung-Shin
CS
Yuan
Hsun-Yu
HY
Lin
Chun-Hsin
CH
Wu
Ming-Han
MH
Liu
Chung-Hsuang
CH
Hung
D002244:Carbon / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003246:Conservation of Energy Resources; D005160:Facility Design and Construction; D018986:Motor Vehicles; D011208:Powders; D012037:Refuse Disposal / Q000379:methods*; D012408:Rubber; D013455:Sulfur / Q000737:chemistry*
D011208:Powders; D013455:Sulfur; D002244:Carbon; D012408:Rubber