Applications of activated carbon

Activated carbon is usually a porous amorphous carbon with a strong adsorption capacity in powder or granular form. It is obtained by carbonizing a solid carbon mass at a high temperature of 600 to 900°C under isolated air conditions, and then oxidizing and activating it with air, carbon dioxide, water vapor, or a mixture of all three at 400 to 900°C. Activated carbon is used in a variety of fields, so let's take a look at the brief history of its application.

Here is the content list:

l A brief history of the application of activated carbon

l Different types of activated carbon and their applications

A brief history of the application of activated carbon

1. A brief history of foreign applications

The use of charcoal was recorded in ancient Egypt in about 3750 BC.

In 1900 the British invented the first method of making activated carbon by charring plants with metal chlorides.

In 1917, activated charcoal was used in gas masks on both sides of World War I.

In 1927, activated carbon was widely used to deodorize tap water after a foul-smelling accident at the Chicago Water Works in the USA.

The first waterworks to use granular activated carbon adsorption cells for deodorization was built in Philadelphia in 1930.

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, due to the mass production of coal-based granular carbon and the introduction of regeneration equipment, developed countries carried out research work on the use of activated carbon adsorption to remove traces of organic matter from water for the deep treatment of drinking water. Granular activated carbon purification devices in the United States, Europe, Japan, and other countries have been built and put into operation. In the United States, more than 90% of water plants using groundwater as the source has adopted the activated carbon adsorption process.

2. Brief history of domestic application

In the early 1950s, activated carbon was only produced in China.

In the late 1960s, activated carbon was used to remove odor and taste from contaminated water sources.

Activated carbon is mainly used as a solid adsorbent in chemical, pharmaceutical, and environmental applications for the adsorption of substances with high boiling points and critical temperatures and organic substances with large molecular weights. Applications in air purification and water treatment have also shown an increasing trend of application. Special high-grade carbon such as high specific surface area carbon, high benzene carbon, and fiber carbon have penetrated aerospace, electronics, communications, energy, bioengineering, and life sciences.

Different types of activated carbon and their applications

Columnar coal granular activated carbon is mainly used in gas separation and refining, solvent recovery, flue gas purification, desulphurization and denitrification, water purification, sewage treatment, and catalyst carrier; crushed coal granular activated carbon is mainly used in gas purification, solvent recovery, water purification, sewage treatment, environmental protection; pulverized coal activated carbon is used in water pollution emergency treatment, waste incineration, chemical decolorization, flue gas purification; columnar wood Activated carbon granules are used for gas separation and refining, gold extraction, water purification, food, and beverage decolorisation; crushed wood granules are used for air purification, solvent recovery, water purification, MSG refining, ethyl acetate synthesis catalyst, etc.

Activated carbon is used in various fields. The above are the main uses of different types of activated carbon, which provide convenience to guide different users in selecting different types of activated carbon and their applications.