Conversion of Scrap Tire to Granular Activated Carbon and Its Evaluation as an Adsorbent

Ryoo, Keon Sang; Kapila, Shubender

Environmental Engineering Research 1997;2(2): 141-150.

¹Oxy Co. Ltd., 587-102, Hakik-Dong, Nam-Ku, Inchon 402-040, Korea
²Department of Chemistry, Center for Environmental Science and Technology, University of Missouri-Rolla, Rolla, MO 65401, USA

Corresponding Author: Keon Sang Ryoo ,

Received: July 15, 1996; Accepted: March 15, 1997.

ABSTRACT

controlled oxidation technology developed in our laboratory, termed counterflow oxidative system (COS), has been shown to be very effective in removing refractory organics from carbonaceous adsorbent matrices. The technology has attained a destruction and removal efficiency of 99.99% or better for hard-to-treat chlorinated wastes such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). These results led us to explore other potential application such as conversion of scrap tire to activated carbon. Scrap tires are currently burdensome in the environment, but these have considerable potential as raw material for the production of valuable solid products. In this study, solid char materials were prepared by first pyrolyzing tire shreddings at high temperatures under inert atmosphere, and then activated by gasification with oxidizing agent through a counterflow oxidative process. The quality of tire based activated carbon was determined by a number of characteristics, including purity, particle size, surface structure, and surface area, as well as adsoptive property. The surface area of tire carbon showed a significant increase with increasing activation cycles. Tire carton was devoid of leachable organics and possessed adsorptive capabilities comparable to those of commercially available activated carbon.

Keywords: Counterflow Oxidative System | PCBs | Activation Cycle | Leachable Organics