Title: Acid dyes adsorption onto activated carbon from waste tyres

Authors: S.Y. Leung, W.H. Cheung, G. McKay

Addresses: Department of Chemical Engineering, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong. ' Department of Chemical Engineering, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong. ' Department of Chemical Engineering, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong

Abstract: Activated carbon has been produced from waste tyres using chemical treatment. The effects of activation chemical used, chemical ratio, soaking time in the impregnation step, activation temperature and time duration of the activation step were investigated. Surface area, pore size distribution, total pore volume, adsorption capacities of acid dyes (AY117 & AB25) were determined. The carbon product with the highest adsorption capacity, q_e = 0.178 mmol dye/g carbon for AY117 and q_e = 0.257 mmol dye/g carbon for AB25 was produced using KOH in chemical ratio 6 : 1 for 2 h of soaking and activated at 750°C for 3 h, having surface area 302.9 m²/g.

Keywords: activated carbon; waste tyres; dye adsorption; acid dyes; activation chemical; chemical ratio; soaking; impregnation step; activation temperature; pore size; pore volume; waste treatment.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEWM.2009.026345

International Journal of Environment and Waste Management, 2009 Vol.3 No.3/4, pp.286 - 296

Published online: 07 Jun 2009 *

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