Sustainable valorization of plastic waste into activation char through pyrolysis

Plastic is a novel material, but the pollution associated with improper disposal of plastic has been a global concern. Plastic waste accumulated in our ecosystem can be minimized effectively by thermal recycling to obtain valuable end products. The char obtained after the pyrolysis of waste plastics having high carbon content has tremendous potential to be developed as activated carbon. This study focuses on developing activated carbon from waste multilayer packaging (MLP) and investigating its characteristics. The process involves pyrolyzing plastic waste to obtain char, which is subsequently activated using chemical impregnation with alkali under optimized conditions, including varying impregnation ratios and activation durations. Comprehensive analyses, including carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and sulfur (CNHS) elemental analyser, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscope, and the iodine number, were conducted to characterize the raw material, char, and activated carbon samples. The characterization of the MLP material provided insights into its composition, while the surface morphology of activated carbon revealed significant alterations during the transformation from char. The iodine number, a key indicator of adsorption potential, demonstrated enhanced activation sites in activated samples. In addition, the yield from char to activated carbon was assessed, supporting the efficacy of the activation process.