Abstract:Turmeric residue-rubber pyrolytic carbon (TR-RPC) was synthesized by co-pyrolysis of 80-mesh turmeric residue and waste rubber powder at a mass ratio of 2:1. The material was characterized by TGA, FTIR, XRD, SEM, BET, and elemental analysis. TR-RPC was applied for Cu2? removal from aqueous solutions, with a systematic investigation of adsorption conditions and the effects of coexisting cations on its adsorption performance. Adsorption isotherms and kinetic studies were conducted to elucidate the underlying mechanisms. The results indicated that co-pyrolysis of turmeric residue and rubber induced synergistic interactions, where pyrolytic free radicals combined with hydrocarbons to form stable cross-linked carbon structures. The inherent silica in both raw materials promoted the development of TR-RPC with a high specific surface area (92.38 m2/g) and large pore size (6.01 nm), which significantly enhanced its Cu2? adsorption performance. Under optimized conditions (initial pH = 6, temperature = 30 °C, contact time = 120 min), TR-RPC exhibited a high Cu2? adsorption capacity of 2.20 mmol/g and a removal efficiency of 93% for 100 mL of 150 mg/L Cu2? solution at a dosage of 0.1 g. The presence of coexisting cations (Ca2?, Ni2?, Mg2?) showed negligible effects on Cu2? adsorption, while Zn2? and Fe3? significantly interfered. The adsorption behavior followed the Freundlich isotherm and pseudo-first-order kinetics, indicating a multilayer physical adsorption mechanism dominated by coordination complexation and electrostatic attraction.