Activated Carbon

About This Product

Activated carbon is produced by carbonising a carbon-rich raw material, coconut shell, coal or wood, then activating it with steam or chemically to open up an internal pore network. It is supplied as granular, powdered, pelletised or extruded grades. The whole performance of the material rests on that pore structure, which is why the raw material matters more than it appears. Coconut shell carbon develops a predominantly microporous structure, with very fine pores that suit small molecules, which makes it the choice for gas-phase work and for removing chlorine and small organics from drinking water. Coal-based carbon develops a broader distribution including mesopores, which suits larger molecules and the mixed contaminants of wastewater. Wood-based carbon is largely mesoporous and macroporous, which suits very large molecules such as colour bodies in sugar and edible oil refining. Adsorption is physical and reversible, so a carbon bed eventually saturates and must be replaced or reactivated. Iodine number and molasses number are the standard indices of micropore and macropore capacity respectively. It is used in drinking water and wastewater treatment, air and gas purification, solvent recovery, gold recovery, sugar and edible oil decolourisation and in pharmaceutical processing. Bio Green Chem supplies activated carbon grades to specification on raw material, iodine number, methylene blue or molasses number, hardness, ash, moisture and particle size.