Self-flocculated powdered activated carbon with different oxidation methods and their influence on adsorption behavior.

Powdered activated carbon (PAC) has been treated with two different oxidation methods and grafted with poly (N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM). The new oxidation method of thermal treatment followed by acidificating enables the carboxyl-rich PAC with large surface area. The PNIPAM graft PAC synthesized from the carboxyl-rich PAC will have good adsorption behavior of bisphenol A and self-flocculation effect with rapid response to temperature.