Porous carbon support materials useful in chromatography and their preparation

Abstract

A process for preparing porous carbon support materials comprises treating activated carbon or coke, having a particle size of about 5 to about 50 .mu.m, a specific surface area of about 10 to 1,000 m.sup.2 /g, a hardness of at least about 95% attrition resistance, with solvent or solvents, and then heat treating the activated carbon or coke at a temperature of about 2,400-3,000.degree. C. under an inert, gas atmosphere; said solvent or solvents affecting the mineral and organic impurities in the activated carbon or coke such that after said subsequent heat treatment, substantially all of said impurities are removed. A hard, mechanically stable, porous carbon support material consisting essentially of highly purified activated carbon, highly purified coke or a mixture thereof, said support material having a carbon content of at least 99%, a specific surface area of about 1 to about 5 m.sup.2 /g and a particle size of about 5 to about 50 .mu.m, may be prepared in this way.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.