As an important adsorption material, the raw material source of activated carbon directly affects the performance and application field. The main differences between coal activated carbon and wood activated carbon are reflected in the following aspects:
Raw materials and production process
Coal-based activated carbon is made from coal such as anthracite and lignite by high temperature carbonization and steam activation. Wood activated carbon is produced by physical or chemical activation with coconut shell, fruit shell or wood processing waste as the base material. The former requires a higher temperature (800-1000 ° C) due to the high density of the raw material, and the latter is usually a lower activation temperature (500-800 ° C).
Pore structure and adsorption properties
The coal-based activated carbon is mainly microporous, with well-developed pores and uniform distribution, with a specific surface area of 800-1200m²/g, and strong adsorption capacity for gaseous substances (such as VOCs and hydrogen sulfide). Wood activated carbon has a higher proportion of pore structure, a specific surface area of about 500-1000m²/g, and is better at liquid phase adsorption, especially for pigment and macromolecular organic matter removal.
Physical characteristics and service life
High mechanical strength (≥90%), high density (0.45-0.55g/cm³), wear resistance, suitable for industrial continuous use; The hardness of wood activated carbon is low (70-85%), but the adsorption rate is fast, and it is suitable for one-time or short cycle purification scenarios.
Application field
Coal-based activated carbon is mainly used for industrial waste gas treatment, air purification and catalyst carrier; Wood activated carbon is widely used in drinking water purification, food decolorization, pharmaceutical purification and other fields with high safety requirements. In recent years, under the promotion of environmental protection policies, wood activated carbon is more popular because of the renewable raw materials (such as agricultural and forestry waste recycling), and coal products still have advantages in cost-sensitive markets.
The selection should take into account the adsorption target, the use environment and the cost effectiveness: the gas phase treatment is preferred to the coal-based activated carbon, the liquid phase purification is recommended to the wood-based activated carbon, and the special fields (such as medicine) need to meet the food-grade certification of wood-based carbon.
https://www.naturecarbon.com/wood-based-activated-carbon/wood-based-powdered-activated-carbon.html
