Activated carbons were produced from waste tires and their characteristics were investigated. Rubber separated from waste tires was first carbonized at 500 deg C in N_2 atmosphere. Next, the obtained chars were activated with steam at 850 deg C. As a result, fairly mesoporous activated carbons with mesopore volumes and BET surface areas up to 1.09 cm~3/g and 737 m~2/g, respectively, were obtained. To further improve the porous properties of the activated carbons, the char was treated with 1 M HCl at room temperature for 1 day prior to steam activation. This treatment increased mesopore volumes and BET surface areas of the activated carbons up to 1.62 cm~3/g and 1119 m~2/g, respectively. Furthermore, adsorption characteristics of phenol and a dye, Black 5, on the activated carbon prepared via acid treatment were compared with those of a commercial activated carbon in the liquid phase. Although the prepared carbon had a larger micropore volume than the commercial carbon, it showed a slightly lower phenol adsorption capacity. On the other hand, the prepared carbon showed an obviously larger dye adsorption capacity than the commercial carbon, because of its larger mesopore volume.
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