Powdered Activated Charcoal

Activated carbon or activated charcoal is porous carbon that traps compounds, mainly organic, present in a gas or liquid. Filtration, which aims to filter solids from a liquid, activated carbon or activated charcoal is the purification process with the largest number of applications.

IDENTIFICATION AND PROPERTIES OF POWDERED CHARCOAL

Name: Powdered activated carbon
Synonyms: Activated carbon, Black carbon
CAS: 7440-44-0
EC: 931-328-0

• Appearance: Black solid (powdered and unpowdered porous solids)
• pH: 6.8 (1% aqueous solution)
• Melting point/freezing point: >1000ºC
• Initial boiling point/boiling range: >1000ºC
• Flammability (solid, gas): Non-flammable
• Density: 2.31 g/cm3
• Bulk density: 300-700 Kg/m3
• Specific gravity: 2.31
• Solubility(ies): Insoluble in water @ pH 6.8 and 20ºC
• Auto-ignition temperature: 430°C
• Explosive properties: Non-explosive
• Oxidising properties: Non-oxidising

USES

• Drinking water filters, where the carbon is able to retain fungicides, fats or oils, disinfectants and detergents among others.
• Recovery of gold and precious metals. When they cannot be separated from the minerals by flotation, they are dissolved with the help of cyanide and adsorbed on activated carbon.
• Air purification, e.g. in hospital emergency rooms. Activated charcoal or activated carbon is the best antidote
• Manufacture of body and facial scrubs, by adsorbing skin oils and impurities
• For use as an absorbent in industrial, professional and consumer environments.