Nitrogen regulation in polyester-based carbons and adsorption of gaseous benzene and ethyl acetate.

Nitrogen doping effectively improves the adsorption properties of activated carbons towards volatile organic compounds (VOCs); however, the role of nitrogen elements with various chemical valence states need further evaluation. In this work, waste polyester fabrics were used as a low-cost source to prepare activated carbon, and melamine, pyridine, dimethylamine, and pyrrole were selected as nitrogen sources to compare their nitrogen-doping ability. The adsorption of low-concentration benzene and ethyl acetate on the resultant carbons and the effects of nitrogen, including its valence states and contents, were investigated.