Graphene Aerogel for the Removal of Bad Smells from Recycling of Post-Consumer Polymers

Abstract

Graphene aerogel was fabricated by a facile chemical reduction of a graphene oxide dispersion. The chemical reduction of graphene oxide was confirmed by different techniques. The resulting graphene aerogel showed large specific surface area (163 m2 g-1), high absorption capacity to incorporate odour and superior absorption recyclability. When graphene aerogel was added to the melting waste plastics, all the GC peaks of classified VOCs were reduced in intensity: of about 85% alcohols and carboxyl acids compounds; of more than 70 % aldehydes, ketones, esters and ethers; and in a lower content (62 % and 68 %, respectively) aliphatic and aromatic compounds, i.e. they were absorbed by GA. Thus, it displays promising application prospects in the field of organic volatile compounds treatment techniques, while allowing the adsorption and removal of molecules responsible for bad smells.