ACTIVATED CARBON MATERIALS, AND METHODS OF PREPARING THEREOF AND USES THEREOF

1 . A method of producing a resin composite, comprising:

combining a feedstock, an acid and a salt to form a reaction mixture;

producing a resin composite from at least a portion of the reaction mixture;

isolating the resin composite; and

drying the resin composite,

wherein the resin composite comprises:

a plurality of particles, wherein each particle independently comprises furanic polymer, and

salt, wherein at least a portion of the salt is incorporated into at least a portion of the particles.

2 - 5 . (canceled)

6 . The method of claim 1 ,

wherein the drying is performed at a temperature between 100° C. and 250° C.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:

(i) the dried resin composite has a water absorption capacity of at least 2 g of water/g resin composite;

(ii) the resin composite is dried to a point at which the water absorption capacity of the resin composite drops below 0.25 g of water/g resin composite,

or a combination thereof.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the resin composite contains between 2% and 20% by weight of salt.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein at least 0.01%, at least 0.1%, at least 0.5%, or at least 1% by weight of the salt present in the resin composite is incorporated into the interior of the particles.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the salt is embedded into at least a portion of the particles, such that when the resin composite is washed with between 20 to 100 equivalents of water, at least 0.01% by weight of the salt remains in the resin composite after washing.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the acid is:

(i) HX, wherein X is halo; or

(ii) hydrochloric acid.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the salt is:

(i) A r+ (X − ) r , wherein A r+ is a Group I or Group II cation, and X − is a halo anion; or

(ii) calcium chloride.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the furanic polymer is cross-linked.

14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the resin composite has:

(i) an oxygen content between 25% and 35% by weight;

(ii) a carbon content between 45% and 70% by weight;

(iii) a mass ratio of carbon to oxygen between 1.8:1 and 2.4:1;

(iv) an ash content between 1% and 20% by weight;

(v) less than 5% by weight of solvent; or

(vi) a spherical morphology,

or any combinations of (i)-(vi).

15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the resin composite further comprises non-furanic polymer, ash, or lignin, or any combinations thereof.

16 . A resin composite produced according to the method of claim 1 .

17 . A resin composite, comprising:

a plurality of particles, wherein each particle independently comprises furanic polymer; and

salt, wherein at least a portion of the salt is incorporated into at least a portion of the particles; and

optionally ash; and

optionally lignin,

wherein the resin is dried.

18 . (canceled)

19 . (canceled)

20 . The resin composite of claim 17 , wherein the salt is A r+ (X − ) r , wherein A r+ is a Group I or Group II cation, and X − is a halo anion.

21 . The resin composite of claim 17 , wherein the salt is calcium chloride.

22 . The resin composite of claim 17 , wherein the resin composite has between 2% and 20% by weight salt.

23 - 27 . (canceled)

28 . A method of producing activated carbon, comprising

activating a resin composite of claim 16 to produce the activated carbon.

29 . A method of producing activated carbon, comprising:

contacting a resin composite of claim 16 with an activating agent to form an impregnated material; and

heating the impregnated material to produce the activated carbon.

30 - 34 . (canceled)

35 . An activated carbon produced according to a method of claim 28 .

36 - 38 . (canceled)

39 . An activated carbon, wherein the activated carbon has a surface area of at least 600 m 2 /g, and wherein the activated carbon is microporous, mesoporous, or macroporous.