# US 2025/0144594 A1 · Treatment of Carbon for Contaminant Removal > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2025/0144594 A1 - Document ID: US20250144594A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 18/720,468 - Filed: 2022-12-14 - Published: 2025-05-08 - Earliest claimed: 2021-12-16 - Assignees: Ionic Water Technologies, Inc. - Applicants: Ionic Water Technologies, LLC - Inventors: George W. ADAMSON; David STEIN; Cassidy Rae SCHNEIDER; Victoria KORN - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20250144594A1 ## CPC - B01J 20/20: comprising free carbon; comprising carbon obtained by carbonising processes - B01J 20/041: {Oxides or hydroxides} - B01J 20/08: comprising aluminium oxide or hydroxide; comprising bauxite - B01J 20/28016: {Particle form} - B01J 20/3071: {Washing or leaching} - B01J 20/3204: {Inorganic carriers, supports or substrates} - B01J 20/3236: {containing metal, other than zeolites, e.g. oxides, hydroxides, sulphides or salts} - B01J 20/3293: {Coatings on a core, the core being particle or fiber shaped, e.g. encapsulated particles, coated fibers} - C02F 1/283: {using coal, charred products, or inorganic mixtures containing them} - C02F 1/722: {Oxidation by peroxides} - C02F 2101/20: Heavy metals or heavy metal compounds - C02F 2101/203: {Iron or iron compound} - C02F 2101/36: containing halogen - B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS - C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes) ## Abstract The present invention relates to methods of treating carbon to improve its ability to capture and retain contaminants, and also relates to treated carbon produced by such methods. Treatment of the carbon includes contacting the carbon with (a) a hydroxide and/or a peroxide, and (b) one or more cations selected from Ca2+, Mg2+, Zn2+, Sr2+, Al3+, B3+, and Fe3+. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of treating carbon to improve its capacity for contaminant removal, the method comprising: contacting carbon with (a) a hydroxide and/or a peroxide, and (b) one or more cations selected from Ca2+, Mg2+, Zn2+, Sr2+, Al3+, B3+, and Fe3+. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the (a) hydroxide and/or peroxide, and the (b) one or more cations are provided in a single aqueous liquid or in two or more separate aqueous liquids for contacting the carbon. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the (a) hydroxide and/or peroxide comprises sodium hydroxide. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the (a) hydroxide and/or peroxide comprises hydrogen peroxide. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the (a) hydroxide and/or peroxide comprises sodium peroxide. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the (b) one or more cations comprises Ca2+. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the Ca2+ is provided as calcium hydroxide. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the (b) one or more cations comprises Al3+. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the Al3+ is provided as aluminum sulfate, aluminum hydroxide, or sodium aluminate. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the (a) hydroxide and/or peroxide are provided in a first aqueous liquid; and wherein the (b) one or more cations are provided in a second aqueous liquid. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the first aqueous liquid contacts the one or more ionic contaminants before the second aqueous liquid. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, comprising contacting the carbon with (a) sodium hydroxide and/or hydrogen peroxide, and (b) calcium hydroxide, aluminum hydroxide, and/or aluminum sulfate. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12) The method of any one of claims 1-12, further comprising rinsing the carbon with an acidic aqueous solution. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the acidic aqueous solution comprises hydrochloric acid, citric acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid, or any combination thereof. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the acidic aqueous solution comprises an acid salt. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13, 14, 15) The method of any one of claims claim 13-15, wherein the acid rinse is performed after the carbon is contacted with the (a) hydroxide and/or peroxide, and the (b) one or more cations. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16) The method of any one of claims 1-16, further comprising rinsing the carbon with water. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the water is substantially free of additives. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17, 18) The method of claim 17 or 18, wherein the water rinse is performed after the carbon is contacted with the (a) hydroxide and/or peroxide, and the (b) one or more cations, and optionally after the acid rinse. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19) The method of any one of claims 1-19, further comprising contacting the carbon with a surfactant. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, wherein the surfactant is selected from fatty acids, sulphones, phosphates, polyethers, sulfates, polyols, or any combination thereof. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein the surfactant is selected from sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), sorbitan monolaurate, polyethylene glycol (PEG), or any combination thereof. ### Claim 23 (depends on 20, 21, 22) The method of any one of claims 20-22, wherein the surfactant contacts the carbon before the (a) hydroxide and/or peroxide contact the carbon. ### Claim 24 (depends on 20, 21, 22) The method of any one of claims 20-22, wherein the surfactant contacts the carbon after the (a) hydroxide and/or peroxide contact the carbon. ### Claim 25 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24) The method of any one of claims 1-24, further comprising contacting the carbon with an antifreeze agent. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25, wherein the antifreeze agent is selected from the group consisting of propylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, glycerol, polyvinyl alcohol, carboxymethylcellulose, ribose, sucrose, glucose, rhamnose, xylose, fructose, raffinose, stachyose, low molecular weight hydroxyethyl starches, maltodextrin, cellodextrins, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 27 (depends on 25, 26) The method of claim 25 or 26, wherein the antifreeze agent contacts the carbon before the (a) hydroxide and/or peroxide contact the carbon. ### Claim 28 (depends on 25, 26) The method of claim 25 or 26, wherein the antifreeze agent contacts the carbon after the (a) hydroxide and/or peroxide contact the carbon. ### Claim 29 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28) The method of any one of claims 1-28, wherein the carbon is activated carbon. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The method of claim 29, wherein the activated carbon is granulated activated carbon. ### Claim 31 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28) The method of any one of claims 1-28, wherein the carbon comprises powder, granules, beads, pellets, cloths, felts, nonwoven fabrics, or composites comprising a material selected from carbon, nitrogen-doped carbon, silicon-doped carbon, boron-doped carbon, charcoal, graphite, biochar, coke, carbon black, or any combination thereof. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The method of claim 31, wherein the carbon comprises activated charcoal powder, granules, pellets, beads, or any combination thereof. ### Claim 33 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28) The method of any one of claims 1-28, wherein the carbon comprises sintered carbon. ### Claim 34 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33) The method of any one of claims 1-33, wherein the carbon is dried after being contacted with the (a) hydroxide and/or peroxide, and the (b) one or more cations selected from Ca2+, Mg2+, Zn2+, Sr2+, Al3+, B3+, and Fe3+. ### Claim 35 A treated carbon produced by a method comprising: contacting the carbon with (a) a hydroxide and/or a peroxide, and (b) one or more cations selected from Ca2+, Mg2+, Zn2+, Sr2+, Al3+, B3+, and Fe3+. ### Claim 36 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34) A treated carbon produced by a method of any one of claims 1-34.