Activated Carbon | mineral | wood | vegetal based adsorbents
different properties, specific applications
Activated Carbon is a porous material that is used for a variety of applications, including water treatment, air purification, and gas separation. The performance of Activated Carbon is determined by its physical and chemical properties.
Wood and mineral based activated carbon are two of the most common types of Activated Carbon. They are both made by heating a carbonaceous material, such as wood or coal, in the nearly absence of oxygen: this activation process creates a porous material with a large surface area, which is ideal for adsorbing contaminants.
Wood based activated carbon is made from wood (is typically made from softwoods, such as pine or fir). It is a good choice for applications where a high level of purification is required, such as in water filtration.
Mineral based activated carbon is made from coal (e.g. anthracite, lignite, bituminous and sub-bituminous coal). It is a good choice for applications where a high level of adsorption capacity is required, such as in gas purification and wastewater treatment. Mineral based activated carbon is also more resistant to chemical attack than wood based activated carbon.
Vegetal activated carbon is typically obtained from nutshells (e.g. coconut) and peats: the resulting activated carbon is a highly porous material with a large surface area. This makes it an excellent adsorbent for a variety of tasks.
Ultimately, the best type of activated carbon for a particular application will depend on the specific requirements of that application.
| raw material | available types |
|---|---|
 |
 |
Activated Carbon | specific performances • adsorption index | BET
Some activated carbons with higher adsorption index may not have better adsorption performance for certain tasks than some carbons with lower adsorption index, and the resulting adsorption capacity may be smaller. This is because the adsorption capacity of activated carbon is not only related to the specific surface area, but more importantly, it is related to the pore size distribution.
Activated Carbon | available types
Mineral based activated carbons are typically made from coal. Even showing a lower surface area and a smaller pore size than wood based activated carbon, mineral activated carbon is more effective at adsorbing small molecules, such as gases and vapors (e.g. VOCs). Mineral activated carbon is often used for gas purification (such as SRU solvent recovery systems) and odor removal.
Wood based activated carbons have a high surface area and a large pore size than mineral based carbons (mesopores and macropores). This makes this type of activated carbon good at adsorbing large molecules (e.g. decolorizing, removing impurities from liquids and water). For liquid-phase adsorption, macropores mainly provide channels for the diffusion of adsorbates, allowing them to diffuse into transition pores and micropores. The adsorption of macromolecular organics in liquids mainly relies on transition pores, which in turn are channels for small molecular organics to reach the micropores. If a certain type of carbon has a high proportion of micropores and a small number of transition pores and macropores, although its adsorption index is high, the diffusion channels of organic matter in the liquid are quickly blocked, and the adsorption capacity may not result to be high.
Vegetal based activated carbon are showing relatively high proportion of micropores and fewer macropores, resulting in a large specific surface area and high adsorption index: having a relatively high proportion of micropores and fewer macropores, will result this carbon to show good performances with only low-molecular-weight organics.
Activated Carbon | other factors
When you need to remove large molecules then wood based activated carbon would be a good choice. However, if you need to remove variable size molecules, from small to medium molecules, such as gas-phase VOC recovery systems (e.g. alcohols, acetates, toluene, etc), then the flexibility of the mineral activated carbon would be the right and best choice.
In addition to the properties mentioned above, there are a few other factors to consider when choosing the best activated carbon. These include the cost of the activated carbon, the purity of the activated carbon, and the availability of the activated carbon, including the location of the supplier (considering logistic costs and applicable custom duties). Wood based activated carbon is typically less expensive than mineral activated carbon. However, mineral activated carbon is generally more pure than wood based activated carbon, so less supportive to exothermic reactions and risks of fire.
China (CN) is the world's largest producer of coal, and it is also the largest producer of activated carbon for gas-phase adsorption. The United States (US) is the second largest producer of coal, and it is also a major producer of activated carbon. India (IN) and Australia (AU) are also major producers of coal, and they have some production of coal-based activated carbon.
The best type of activated carbon for a particular task will depend on the specific needs of the application.
conclusions
As we can see, the properties of activated carbon made from different types of materials vary widely. By understanding the properties of each type of activated carbon and the factors that are important for your application, DEC can assist you for the best choice for your needs. Activated carbons are used in gas-phase adsorption, offering excellent selectivity for gases and organic vapors, high adsorptive capacity per unit volume, a high retention capacity, low resistance to gas flow, high preferential adsorption of gases even in the presence of moisture, and a complete release of adsorbates at decreasing pressures and increasing temperatures.
LTKW
Discover the power of mineral and wood-based activated carbon in revolutionizing VOC emission control technologies! Whether you’re seeking eco-friendly solutions or high-performance materials to tackle volatile organic compounds (VOCs), these advanced adsorbents offer unmatched efficiency and sustainability. Mineral-based activated carbon, derived from coal, excels at capturing small-molecule VOCs like gases and vapors, while wood-based options, sourced from renewable softwoods, shine in applications requiring robust purification. Ready to enhance your air quality and meet strict emission standards? Dive into our expert insights and find the perfect activated carbon solution tailored to your needs—click now to explore how these technologies can transform your VOC control strategy!
When it comes to VOC emission control, mineral and wood-based activated carbon stand out as top contenders, each with unique strengths. Wondering how mineral based activated carbon reduces VOC emissions or curious about wood based activated carbon for VOC emission control? Our informational guides break it down for you. Looking for the best mineral activated carbon for VOC removal or ready to buy wood based activated carbon for VOC reduction? We’ve got transactional options to suit your needs. Explore the benefits of wood activated carbon in VOC technologies and VOC emission control with mineral activated carbon, or dive into comparing mineral and wood activated carbon for VOCs for a detailed analysis. Need to know where to find mineral activated carbon for VOC systems or locate wood based activated carbon suppliers for VOC control? Our navigational tips point you in the right direction. Check out wood activated carbon efficiency in VOC emission control, follow our mineral based activated carbon VOC adsorption guide, or purchase mineral activated carbon for VOC technology today. For practical advice, learn how to use mineral activated carbon in VOC removal, discover wood activated carbon solutions for VOC emissions, and evaluate mineral and wood activated carbon VOC performance. Seeking the top wood based activated carbon for VOC systems or interested in mineral activated carbon applications in VOC control? We’ve got you covered. Easily find wood activated carbon for VOC emission reduction, explore VOC emission control technologies with mineral carbon, or order wood based activated carbon for VOC technologies—click to start optimizing your VOC control today!
