Method of producing highly porous adsorbents
A process for producing activated carbon includes carbonizing an organic material to produce a charcoal, heating the charcoal in a chamber in the presence of oxygen at a temperature in the range of 400 to 500° C. for a duration of time sufficient to produce the activated carbon, and removing the charcoal from the heat once the activated carbon is formed.
1. A process for producing activated carbon, the process comprising:
carbonizing an organic material to produce a charcoal;
heating the charcoal in a chamber in the presence of oxygen and a catalyst and at a temperature within the range 400 to 500° C. for a duration of time sufficient to produce the activated carbon; and
removing the charcoal from the heat once the activated carbon is formed.
2. The process of claim 1 , wherein heating the charcoal is performed in the presence of environmental air containing oxygen.
3. The process of claim 2 , wherein environmental air is supplied to the chamber without the addition of other gases.
4. The process of claim 1 , wherein the step of heating the charcoal is performed for 30 to 60 minutes.
5. The process of claim 4 , wherein the organic material is carbonized under a controlled atmosphere of inert gas.
6. The process of claim 5 , wherein the organic material is carbonized at a temperature in the range of 400 to 500° C.
7. The process of claim 6 , wherein heating the charcoal produces a BET surface area greater than 500 m 2 /g.
8. The process of claim 7 , wherein heating the charcoal produces a BET surface are of greater than 700 m 2 /g.
9. The process of claim 6 , wherein heating the charcoal produces a percent yield of activated charcoal greater than 60 percent.
10. The process of claim 6 , wherein heating the charcoal produces a plurality of micropores having pore size less than two nanometers.
11. The process of claim 10 , wherein heating the charcoal produces a plurality of mesopores having pore size of between two and 50 nanometers.
12. The process of claim 6 , wherein the charcoal is granulated, having an average particle size of 0.4 to 2 millimeters.
13. The process of claim 12 , wherein the organic material is a lignocellulosic material.
14. A process for producing activated carbon comprising:
carbonizing an organic material at a temperature in the range of 400 to 500° C. to produce a charcoal;
providing the charcoal to a furnace;
supplying oxygen to the furnace;
heating the charcoal in the presence of oxygen and a catalyst and at a temperature within the range of 400 to 500° C. for 30 to 60 minutes; and
removing the charcoal from the heat once the activated carbon is formed.
15. The process of claim 14 , wherein the step of carbonizing the organic material is conducted in a controlled atmosphere of inert gas.
16. The process of claim 14 , wherein the organic material is a lignocellulosic material.
17. The process of claim 16 , wherein the organic material is coconut shells.
18. The process of claim 14 , wherein supplying oxygen to the furnace comprises supplying environmental air to the furnace.
19. The process of claim 18 , wherein the environmental air is supplied to the chamber without the addition of other gases.
20. The process of claim 14 , wherein supplying oxygen to the furnace comprises supplying a mixture of oxygen and other gases.