High surface area carbon and process for its production
OwnerJimmy Romanos, Jacob Burress +4inventors
InventorsJimmy Romanos, Jacob Burress, Peter Pfeifer, Tyler Rash, Parag Shah, Galen Suppes
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Abstract
Activated carbon materials and methods of producing and using activated carbon materials are provided. In particular, biomass-derived activated carbon materials and processes of producing the activated carbon materials with prespecified surface areas and pore size distributions are provided. Activated carbon materials with preselected high specific surface areas, porosities, sub-nm (<1 nm) pore volumes, and supra-nm (1-5 nm) pore volumes may be achieved by controlling the degree of carbon consumption and metallic potassium intercalation into the carbon lattice during the activation process.
Claims16
A process for making an activated carbon adsorbent having a predetermined pore size distribution and surface area, the process comprising contacting a char with KOH for one hour at an activation temperature ranging from 700° C. to 900° C. and a KOH:C ratio ranging from 3 to 4.5, wherein the activated carbon adsorbent has a total pore volume of at least 1.5 cc/g and a surface area of at least about 2700 m2/g.
A process for making an activated carbon adsorbent having a predetermined pore size distribution and surface area, the process comprising contacting a char with KOH flakes or solution for one hour at an activation temperature of 700° C. and a KOH:C ratio ranging from 2.5 to 3.5, wherein the activated carbon adsorbent has a % volume of pores of 10 Å diameter or less ranging from about 80% to about 40%.
A process for making an activated carbon adsorbent having a predetermined pore size distribution and surface area, the process comprising contacting a char with KOH solution for one hour at an activation temperature of 800° C. and a KOH:C ratio ranging from 2.5 to 3.5, wherein the activated carbon adsorbent has a % volume of pores of 10 Å diameter or less ranging from about 55% to about 40%.
A process for making an activated carbon adsorbent having a predetermined pore size distribution and surface area, the process comprising contacting a char with KOH solution for one hour at an activation temperature of 900° C. and a KOH:C ratio ranging from 2.5 to 3.5, wherein the activated carbon adsorbent has a % volume of pores of 10 Å diameter or less ranging from about 50% to about 30%.
A process for making an activated carbon adsorbent having a predetermined pore size distribution and surface area, the process comprising:
- providing a char comprising an acid-activated, charred biomass feedstock;
- and
- contacting the char with an amount of KOH flakes or solution for one hour at an activation temperature ranging from 700° C. to 900° C. and a KOH:C ratio ranging from 3 to 4.5;
- wherein the activated carbon adsorbent has a total pore volume of at least 1.5 cc/g and a surface area of at least about 2700 m2/g.
A process for making an activated carbon adsorbent having a predetermined pore size distribution and surface area, the process comprising:
- soaking a biomass feedstock in phosphoric acid at about 45° C. for about 12 hours to form an acid-activated feedstock;
- washing the acid-activated feedstock to adjust the pH of the acid-activated feedstock to about 7;
- charring the washed acid-activated feedstock at about 480° C. under a nitrogen atmosphere to form a char;
- and
- contacting the char with an amount of KOH flakes or solution for one hour at an activation temperature ranging from 700° C. to 900° C. and a KOH:C ratio ranging from 3 to 4.5;
- wherein the activated carbon adsorbent has a total pore volume of at least 1.5 cc/g and a surface area of at least about 2700 m2/g.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.