Surface and Structural Modulation of Waste‐Derived, Boron‐Doped Carbon to Enhance its Adsorption Efficiency for Lead Removal from Wastewater

Abstract

Lead is a common hazardous heavy metal found in agricultural soil and industrial wastewater. It is a dire need for society to remove lead from wastewater via a facile and cost‐effective route, which is needed to improve water quality. Here we obtain boron (B) doped porous carbon (BC) via two‐step thermal pyrolysis of waste tires, as it is a promising raw material. The B doping changes the coordination chemistry, physicochemical properties, and surface structure of carbon. The degree of graphitization, boron content, and pore size distribution of BC was controlled by thermal treatment and NaBH4 content. The surface topography, elemental composition, degree of graphitization, chemical structure, and lead (Pb) removal efficiency of BC was thoroughly analyzed by SEM, EDS, Raman, XRD, XPS, and ICP‐OES analysis. Benefiting from the structural disorder, high specific surface area, and least coordinated exposed carbon, the BC revealed high adsorption efficiency (98.02 %) for lead removal from wastewater.