High value carbon materials from PET recycling

Poly(ethylene) terephthalate (PET), has become one of the major post-consumer plastic waste. In this work special attention was paid to minimising PET residues and to obtain a high value carbon material. Pyrolysis and subsequent activation of PET from post-consumer soft-drink bottles was performed. Activation was carried out at 925 degreesC under CO2 atmosphere to different burn-off degrees. Textural characterisation of the samples was carried out by performing N-2 adsorption isotherms at - 196 degreesC. The obtained carbons materials were mainly microporous, presenting low meso and macroporosity, and apparent BET surface areas of upto 2500 m(2) g(-1). The capacity of these materials for phenol adsorption and PAHs removal from aqueous solutions was measured and compared with that attained with commercial active carbons. Preliminary tests also showed high hydrogen uptake values, as good as the results obtained with high-tech carbon materials. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.