Abstract
This study proposes upcycling polymeric waste, i.e., waste floral foam, into high-performance nanoporous carbon that efficiently captures CO2. This paper presents strategies for improving the properties of nanoporous carbon, which aid in a superior CO2 capture performance. Initially, pristine nanoporous carbon was produced from waste floral foam using various KOH impregnation ratios. The nanoporous carbon with a 1:2 (waste floral foam:KOH) ratio exhibiting optimal CO2 capture capability was further advanced through single and dual atom doping. The doping of N and codoping of N,S atoms into the nanoporous carbon altered its textural and surface chemical properties, making them efficient for CO2 capture. Comparative CO2 capture studies of pristine nanoporous carbon (NC-x), N-doped nanoporous carbon (N-NC2), and N,S-codoped nanoporous carbon (N,S-NC2) demonstrate the superiority of N-doping. N-doped nanoporous carbon exhibited the largest ultramicroporosity (0.3100 cm3/g, 63.43%) and highest heteroatom content (34.94 atomic %), contributing to its enhanced CO2 capture capability (4.54 mmol/g). Implementing the “waste-to-depollution” approach, this research lays the groundwork for producing low-cost, environmentally friendly nanoporous carbon with remarkable CO2 capture attributes.
