Synthesis and application of tuneable carbon-silica composites from the microwave pyrolysis of waste paper for selective recovery of gold from acidic solutions.

ABSTRACT: Microwave pyrolysis bio-oil from waste paper and K60 silica gel has successfully been utilised to synthesise mesoporous carbon-silica composites with uniquely tuneable surface properties, where functionality and structural characteristics can be altered and even enhanced by curing at different temperatures. This temperature-dependence resulted in composites ranging from highly oxygenated polymerised bio-oil composites at 300 °C to aromatic carbonaceous materials covering the silica surface at 800 °C, making them attractive materials for gold recovery from mining wastewater. The composite materials exhibit exceptional ability and selectivity to recover gold from dilute solutions. Metal adsorption on the surface of these composites proceeded via both chemisorption and physisorption le

SUBMITTER: Sotiriou K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9055263 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature