# Polymer Crosslinked Activated Carbon Pellets for Dye Adsorption

## TL;DR

Researchers created stable activated carbon pellets using a polymer matrix, improving their industrial use for water purification by enhancing structural integrity and adsorption capabilities.

## Contribution

A novel low-temperature pelletization method using a crosslinked PVA–DGEBA matrix for activated carbon is introduced.

## Key findings

- Pellets showed methylene blue adsorption of ~14.8 mg/g, retaining 50% of the original AC's capacity.
- Mechanical strength of 3.37 ± 0.46 MPa and stability in various solvents were confirmed.
- The method enables eco-friendly, pressurized wastewater treatment applications.

## Abstract

The use of activated carbon (AC) in environmental applications, particularly for water and air purification, is highly valued due to its excellent microstructural and adsorption properties. However, its powdered form presents significant challenges in industrial applications, such as difficulty in handling and potential environmental risks due to its tendency to disperse easily. To overcome these issues, converting activated carbon into a more industrially viable form, such as pellets, is crucial. In this study, pelletizing AC within a crosslinked polyvinyl alcohol–diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (PVA–DGEBA) matrix enabled the production of structurally stable cylindrical pellets through the formation of a robust three-dimensional polymeric network. This approach required minimal binder usage and facilitated processing at relatively low temperatures, effectively overcoming common disintegration issues associated with traditional pelletization methods reliant on linear polymer binders and compression-based techniques. The resulting pellets exhibited methylene blue (MB) adsorption (q max ~14.8 mg/g of pellet), which is about 50% of the initial AC’s adsorption capability, and retained structural integrity across multiple aqueous cycles. They also remained stable in methanol, ethanol and acetone by showing no observable disintegration, which highlights their excellent stability. Comprehensive characterizations, including hardness tests, swelling behavior, and various structural evaluations, revealed a mechanical strength of 3.37 ± 0.46 MPa and an adsorption volume of ~250 cm3/g through Brunauer–Emmett–Teller analysis, confirming effective crosslinking and the adsorption capabilities of the pellets. This eco-friendly and stable pelletization strategy demonstrated great potential for low-temperature pelletizing of AC, ensuring advanced applications in wastewater treatment even under pressurized conditions, presenting a significant improvement over the traditional method.