None-emission carbon nanomaterial derived from polystyrene plastic waste for the adsorption of carbon dioxide

Abstract

The hydrothermal treatment of polystyrene (P.S.) in the presence of potassium hydroxide resulted in a carbon-based nanomaterial used for an efficient carbon sorbent with a pores volume of 0.068 cm³/g. The material was characterized by different techniques that showed excellent physical and chemical properties. The sorbent's CO₂ capacity at 25 °C is 3.8 mmol/g at 1 bar and 3.0 mmol/g at 0.1 bar, and it regenerates when the temperature reaches 80 ± 5 °C. As a result, this PS-derived organic carbon-related compound exhibited the potential to absorb CO₂ from high-emissions sources. The conversion of plastic waste into carbon-based materials is a promising method for reducing plastic pollution and creating new value from waste. These methods have the potential to make a significant contribution when converted at a large scale as the best sustainable method for waste management.