This project joint to prepare and to characterize activated carbon hydrothermally converted from scrap tire as well as to apply to Hg(0) adsorption. We will introduce the production of activated carbon starting from scrap tire using a facile, scalable hydrothermal carbonization process. In order to rationally design a process in which an activated carbon fabricated by hydrothermal process is involved, it is necessary to study different aspects: the synthesis of the material, its characterization, and also the design of the process (reactor, operating conditions, etc.). The characterization such as XANES, FTIR, TPD-MASS and XPS will be carried out. The results of the 1st-year project include (1) to make sure the advantage of scrap car tire over scarp truck tire, (2) the yield above 50%, (3) the specific surface are above 435 m2/g, (4) 2wt% sulfur on the obtained activated carbon with various oxygen-containing functional, (5) 90% of Hg(0) adsorption capacity of commercial activated carbons with 1/2 cost. Further work will focus on the improvement of Hg(0) adsorption using modifying the preparation conditions and with lower cost.

Hydrothermally converted, Scrap tire, Mercury vapor