Waste-Derived Activated Carbon as a Sustainable and Economical Catalyst Support

Over-exploitation of natural resources, huge accumulation of wastes, strict imposition of environmental legislations have upsurge waste upcycling processes and extraction of value-added products like porous carbon materials from them. Among such carbon materials, activated carbon possesses remarkable properties like high compressive strength, low ash content, easy activation, high surface area, and porosity which make it a potential substrate for the synthesis of heterogeneous catalysts, but conventional ways to produce activated carbon are tedious and expensive. Tackling these real-world issues, synthesis of activated carbon from different waste materials has become an area of extensive research. The underlying aim of this review is to present a broad overview of waste-derived activated carbon and its application as catalyst support in various industrially beneficial reactions. The chapter will focus on the identification of carbon-rich waste precursors that can be utilized in the synthesis of activated carbon. Both common and innovative methodologies adopted for the preparation of activated carbon will be figured out. Further, the utilization of activated carbon as catalytic material in numerous reactions will be explained. In conclusion, the advantages of the whole procedure, its effects on society, economy, environment, and future perspectives will be discussed.