1 research outputs found
Microwave Assisted Hydrothermal Carbonization and Solid State Postmodification of Carbonized Polypropylene
Functional
carbon materials produced through a hydrothermal treatment
of waste products have gained interest. Particularly, the method is
considered more facile and green compared to conventional decomposition
methods. Here, we demonstrated an upcycling of polypropylene (PP)
waste to carbon materials by a microwave assisted hydrothermal treatment.
The solid product obtained from the hydrothermal treatment was analyzed
by multiple techniques to reveal the structure and the influence of
processing conditions on PP degradation and hydrothermal carbonization.
Chemical analyses showed the presence of carbonaceous material independent
of acid amount (20 and 30 mL), temperature (210 and 250 °C),
and time (20–80 min). A complete transformation of PP content
to amorphous carbon required 60 min at 250 °C. The mass yield
of the solid product decreased as a function of harsher processing
conditions. At the same time, thermogravimetric analysis illustrated
products with increasing thermal stability and a larger amount of
remaining residue at 600 °C. The solid products consisted of
irregular fragments and sheet-like structures. A solid state microwave
process in air atmosphere was performed on a product with incomplete
carbonization. The modification resulted in a decreased C/O ratio,
and TGA analysis in nitrogen showed high thermal stability and degree
of carbonization as indicated by the remaining residue of 86.4% at
600 °C. The new insights provided on the hydrothermal carbonization,
and postmodification in air atmosphere, can catalyze effective handling
of plastic waste by enabling transformation of low quality waste into
functional carbon materials