Performance of porous carbons based on waste-printed paper on the CO2 capture by temperature swing adsorption

The development of low-cost and sustainable adsorbents is crucial for reducing CO₂ emissions associated with climate change. In this context, waste-derived porous carbons have emerged as promising materials for adsorption applications. This work evaluates the CO₂ adsorption performance of porous carbons derived from printed paper waste using temperature swing adsorption (TSA). The activated carbons were produced by pretreating printed paper waste, followed by impregnation with KOH, K₂CO₃, or KHC₈H₄O₄ and chemical activation via pyrolysis at 800 °C. Adsorption tests were conducted using TSA, assessing adsorption capacity as a function of temperature. The results showed that the maximum CO₂ adsorption capacity at 30 °C for AC-KOH, AC-KCO, and AC-KHP was 7.64%, 6.28%, and 6.80%, respectively. In adsorption tests at 30 °C at 1 bar, AC-KOH (83.33% micropore volume) demonstrated the best performance with a maximum CO₂ adsorption efficiency of 7.64% (2.29 mmol g^-1). The average fluctuation after 10 adsorption-desorption cycles was less than 1%, indicating good regeneration and stability of AC-KOH. These results suggest that printed paper is a promising precursor for producing adsorbents for CO₂ adsorption.