Development of glycerol-based carbon materials for environmental catalytic applications in advanced oxidation processes

A glycerol-based carbon material was initially produced by partial carbonization of glycerol with sulphuric acid followed by calcination under inert atmosphere. This material, characterized by high thermal stability, low ash content, non-porous structure and basic character, was further activated in air atmosphere at different temperatures (from 150 to 350 oC), resulting in materials with less basic character, due to the incorporation of oxygenated surface groups, and to a notorious evolution of the porosity. These metal-free carbon materials are highly active catalysts for environmental applications, more specifically for the catalytic wet peroxide oxidation process, when the surface chemistry and textural properties are properly tuned. Effective catalytic degradation of 2-nitrophenol was achieved with the material treated under air atmosphere at 300 ºC, opening a window of opportunity for the valorisation of crude glycerol by-products and the production of value-added materials