Sustainable utilization of flue gas components (CO2, SO2, and NOx) in skim rubber production via microbubble technology

Flue gas, a major industrial pollutant, highlights the urgent need for technologies that can either capture emissions at their source or transform them into environmentally friendly materials. Meanwhile, conventional skim rubber production poses significant environmental and health concerns, including the generation of acidic wastewater, the release of air pollutants, and the risks associated with handling concentrated sulfuric acid and open-air ammonia removal. This study presents a green and innovative approach that utilizes flue gas as a sustainable feedstock for skim rubber production via microbubble-assisted coagulation, addressing these critical challenges. Coagulation and de-ammonization of skim latex using different flue gas components (CO 2 , SO 2 , and NO x ) via the microbubble process were discussed. The microstructural, physical, and mechanical properties of skim rubber coagulated with microbubbles containing different flue gas components (CO 2 , SO 2 , and NO x ) were systematically compared with those obtained from the conventional process. Results demonstrated that microbubble-coagulated skim rubber exhibited enhanced physical and mechanical properties compared to conventionally coagulated samples. The process reduces costs, minimizes effluent discharge, and lowers air pollution, offering a sustainable solution to both flue gas utilization and limitations of conventional coagulation. • Valorization of flue gas components (CO 2 , SO 2 , NO x ) for sustainable skim production. • Eco-efficient skim rubber via reduced H 2 SO 4 use in microbubble coagulation. • Minimized ammonia and flue gas emissions, with ammonium-rich serum utilized as fertilizer. • Microbubble-assisted coagulation improves rubber quality and process limits.