2025 AIChE Annual Meeting

Conversion of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Waste to Nanoporous Carbons

The thermo-chemical conversion of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) waste into nanoporous carbon materials, such as activated carbon, represents a sustainable and high-value strategy for addressing the global plastic waste crisis. PET, commonly used in beverage bottles, food containers, and packaging materials, is one of the most abundant and persistent plastics in the environment due to its resistance to natural degradation. Converting this waste through controlled processes—such as pyrolysis, carbonization, and chemical activation—enables the production of high-surface-area nanoporous carbons with tunable physicochemical properties.

Unlike traditional biomass-derived activated carbons, PET-based nanoporous carbons often demonstrate enhanced textural characteristics, including greater surface area, highly developed porosity, and adjustable surface functionalities. These advantages stem from the intrinsic aromatic and oxygen-containing structure of PET, which facilitates the formation of ordered and reactive carbon frameworks. As a result, PET-derived carbons are highly promising for a broad range of advanced applications, including adsorption, water purification, energy storage, gas separation, and catalysis. This approach not only reduces plastic pollution and landfill burden but also minimizes the need for virgin carbon feedstocks, contributing to a more circular and sustainable carbon economy.

In this study, small-cut PET waste was mixed with various inorganic salts and subjected to carbonization and activation processes. The resulting nanoporous carbons were thoroughly characterized using nitrogen and carbon dioxide adsorption for pore textural analysis, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The performance of the synthesized carbons was further evaluated for potential applications in water purification and gas separation, demonstrating their environmental and functional relevance.