Surface properties of carbons from poly(vinyl chloride)

Non-activated carbons were prepared by the thermal degradation of poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) in air or nitrogen atmosphere in the temperature range 600-1000°C. Carbon dioxide-activated carbons from PVC were also obtained by gasification of non-activated carbon from PVC at 900°C burn-off (4-50%). Thermal degradation in air atmosphere gave high carbon yield because the oxygen of air increased crosslinking at lower temperature and chemisorbed on the carbon surface at high temperatures. Thermal degradation in air and gasification with carbon dioxide created carbon-oxygen surface groups which increased the hydrophilicity of the carbon surface and consequently increased water adsorption capacity. Gasification with carbon dioxide to high burn-off created new pores and widened already existing pores.