Activated carbon is a porous carbon material with a large specific surface area and strong adsorption capacity. It is widely used in industrial, civil and environmental protection fields. Its main component is carbon, but it also contains a small amount of elements such as hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and some mineral impurities. The adsorption capacity of activated carbon comes from its rich pore structure, which can capture and adsorb impurities in gases, liquids or suspended solids.
Main characteristics of activated carbon
1. High specific surface area: The specific surface area per gram of activated carbon can reach hundreds to thousands of square meters.
2. Porous structure: including micropores (<2nm), mesopores (2-50nm) and macropores (>50nm), which can adapt to different adsorption needs.
3. Strong adsorption: It has a good adsorption effect on organic matter, odor, color and certain chemicals.
Preparation method Activated carbon is usually prepared by carbonization and activation in two steps:
1. Carbonization: The raw materials (such as wood, coal, coconut shells, fruit shells, etc.) are heated in an oxygen-deficient environment to remove volatile substances.
2. Activation: Further treatment using chemical methods (such as phosphoric acid, zinc chloride) or physical methods (such as water vapor, carbon dioxide) to form a rich pore structure of the material.
Application areas
1. Water treatment: remove organic matter, residual chlorine, heavy metals and odors from water.
2. Air purification: adsorb harmful gases, odors and pollutants in the air.
3. Industrial use: used for chemical separation, solvent recovery, decolorization and catalyst carrier.
4. Medicine and food: used as detoxifier, filter medium and food additive.
Common forms
- Granular activated carbon (GAC): suitable for liquid and gas phase adsorption.
- Powdered activated carbon (PAC): suitable for rapid adsorption, often used in water treatment.
- Pellet activated carbon: used for specific industrial purposes, such as solvent recovery.
In short, activated carbon is a widely used and effective adsorption material, widely used in environmental protection and industrial production.
