A Molten-Salt Pyrolysis Synthesis Strategy toward Sulfur-Functionalized Carbon for Elemental Mercury Removal from Coal-Combustion Flue Gas

The emission of mercury from coal combustion has caused consequential hazards to the ecosystem. key challenge abating is explore highly efficient adsorbents. Herein, sulfur-functionalized carbon (S-C) was synthesized by using a molten-salt pyrolysis strategy and employed for removal elemental coal-combustion flue gas. An ideal pore structure, which favorable internal diffusion Hg0 molecule in carbon, obtained SiO2 hard template adjusting HF etching time. as-prepared S-C with an time 10 h possessed saturation adsorption capacity 89.90 mg·g?1, far exceeding that commercial sulfur-loaded activated carbons (S/C). can be applied at wide temperature range 25–125 °C, S/C. influence gas components, such as SO2, NO, H2O, on performance insignificant, indicating good applicability real-world applications. mechanism proposed, i.e., reduced including sulfur thiophene, sulfoxide, C-S, displayed high affinity toward Hg0, could guarantee stable immobilization HgS adsorbent. Thus, broad prospect application one-pot carbonization functionalization sulfur-containing organic precursors adsorbents Hg0.