Thermal transformation of end-of-life latex to valuable materials

Abstract

Recent studies have demonstrated that carbon nanomaterials have huge potential in composite applications, but there is a continuous quest for identifying the most viable technique for producing this material. In this study, the possibility of using an innovative approach for the synthesis of value-added carbon nanomaterials and green gases from end-of-life soft mattress materials (latex) was investigated. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was used to determine the thermal degradation of latex. Quantitative gas analysis at three different temperatures by infrared spectroscopy (IR) suggested that small gas molecules, especially CH4, could be produced at a higher temperature. The carbon residues produced after gas analysis were characterised by XRD, SEM, TEM, XPS, and Raman spectroscopy, suggesting the possibility of direct synthesis of carbon nanomaterials from waste latex. These carbon materials have Na, Zn, Si, and K in their structure, and further study is needed for understanding the effect of these elements on composite properties. Our study demonstrated that heat treatment of waste latex at 1000◦C for 15 min produced carbon materials, which contained 7–16% S and 1.2–2% N, and gases, such as CH4, could be synthesised.