The effect of H2 treatment on the activity of activated carbon for the oxidation of organic contaminants in water and the H2O2 decomposition

In this work, hydrogen peroxide reactions, i.e. H₂O₂ decomposition and oxidation of organics in aqueous medium, were studied in the presence of activated carbon. It was observed that the carbon pre-treatment with H₂ at 300, 500, 700 and 800 °C resulted in an increase in activity for both reactions. The carbons were characterized by BET nitrogen adsorption, thermogravimetric analyses (TG), temperature programmed reduction (TPR), electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), iodometric titration and determination of the acid/basic sites. TPR experiments showed that activated carbon reacts with H₂ at temperatures higher than 400 °C. The treatment produces a slight increase in the surface area. EPR analyses indicate the absence of unpaired electrons in the carbon. Iodometric titrations and TG analyses suggested that the treatment with H₂ generates reduction sites in the carbon structure, with concentration of approximately 0.33, 0.53, 0.59, 0.65 and 0.60 mmol/g for carbons treated at 25, 300, 500, 700 and 800 °C, respectively. It was also observed the appearance of basic sites which might be related to the reduction sites. It is proposed that these reducing sites in the carbon can activate H₂O₂ to generate HO^* radicals which can lead to two competitive reactions, i.e. the hydrogen peroxide decomposition or the oxidation of organics in water.