What Is Activated Carbon?

What really is ACTIVATED CARBON?

Activated carbon is charcoal that has been treated with oxygen to open up millions of tiny pores between the carbon atoms. Is the use of special manufacturing techniques results in highly porous charcoals that have surface areas of 300-2,000 square metres per gram. These so-called active, or activated, charcoals are widely used to adsorb odorous or coloured substances from gases or liquids.

It is generally manufactured from carbonaceous raw materials such as high quality coals, coconut shells or wood, although other raw materials are constantly being investigated and developed.

HOW IT IS PRODUCED?

Activated carbon is carbon produced from any organic carbonaceous source materials such as nutshells, coconut husk, peat, wood, coir, lignite, coal, and petroleum pitch.

Raw Material Charring and Activation

The raw material is charred, in the absence of oxygen, before it undergoes an activation process that opens up the microscopic pore structure and imparts the huge surface area required for purification applications.

High-Temperature Activation Techniques

The activation process is normally performed in a high temperature kiln in the presence of steam, although other techniques are utilised within the carbon industry, for example activation with acidic chemicals.

Adsorption with Activated Carbon

It is the huge surface area of activated carbon that makes it suitable for removing unwanted impurities from liquid and gas phase streams, in a process called adsorption.