Cork: a new perspective

Abstract

With this work we aim to increase the range of applications for cork wastes, presenting a new perspective on their use, namely in the preparation of porous carbon materials. These materials were prepared by physical activation and chemical activation with different chemical agents (carbon dioxide, water vapour, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide and phosphoric acid). The results obtained by a representative group of samples, show the potential use of some of these new materials in the field of gas and liquid phase adsorption applications.

This contribution complements many others, such as the application of cork in agglomerates, coatings and isolations, in an attempt to valorise the exploration of a tree, the cork-oak, which is fundamental for Portuguese agriculture. The waste materials involved can result from activities both upstream and downstream, involving not only forestry production, but also industrial treatment and transformation, as well as derived products of the cork, amongst others.