Activated carbon

What is Activated Carbon?

Activated carbon has an incredibly large surface area per unit volume, and a network of submicroscopic pores where adsorption takes place. Activated carbon is a material that is produced from carbonaceous source materials, such as coal, coconuts, nutshells, peat, wood, and lignite. The primary raw material used for activated carbon is any organic material with a high carbon content. The carbon-based material is converted to activated carbon through physical modification and thermal decomposition in a furnace, under a controlled atmosphere and temperature. The finished product has a large surface area per unit volume and a network of submicroscopic pores where adsorption takes place.

Activated carbon is extensively used in water purification due to its high porosity and large surface area, which makes it a highly valued adsorbent material. The most common natural substances used as base material to make activated carbon are lignite, bituminous and anthracite coal and peat, wood and coconut shell.

Application

Activated carbon is used to purify liquids and gases in a variety of applications, including municipal drinking water, food and beverage processing, odor removal, industrial pollution control, and point-of-use filters in the home.