High-density adsorbent and method of producing same

A method of producing a dimensionally stable, high-density adsorbent, comprising the steps of:

• a) mixing high surface area carbon particles with a solution of a binder in a solvent to form a slurry and thereby wet each particle of carbon with the solution of binder, said binder being selected from the group consisting of methylcellulose and a polyvinyl alcohol;
• b) removing the solvent from the slurry prepared in step (a) to obtain particles of carbon coated with a film of the binder;
• and
• c) compacting the binder-coated particles of carbon under pressure of about 140 to about 600 MPA to provide a compacted mass of high surface area carbon particles bound together and defining a network of substantially to cause a reduction of about 50 to about 200% in bulk volume of the mass and a corresponding increase of about 50 to about 200% in density, thereby obtaining an adsorbent capable of withstanding powdering when subjected to vibration and exhibiting a gas storage capacity increase of about 20 to about 100% over that of the high surface area carbon particles in loose form.