Activated carbon is a carbonaceous material characterized by a well-developed pore structure and a very large internal surface area. These properties give activated carbon a very strong adsorptive property.
PORE STRUCTURE OF ACTIVATED CARBON
a - micropores
b , f - mesopores (spherical and cylindrical)
c , e , d, - macropores (transitional, internal, superficial)
RAW MATERIAL
Activated carbon is mainly produced from COAL - COCONUT SHELL - WOOD
The efficiency of activated carbon is in the range of 15-35% depending on the raw material. Generally, coal gives high efficiency (30-35%) while coconut shell gives lower efficiency (15-20%).