PREPARATION OF ACTIVATED CARBON FROM BITUMINOUS COAL WITH PHOSPHORIC-ACID ACTIVATION

Activated carbons were prepared from an Australian bituminous coal in this study. The preparation process consisted of phosphoric acid impre gnation followed by carbonization in nitrogen at 400-600 degrees C for 1-3 hours. The results reveal that the surface area and pore volume o f the resulting carbons increase with the chemical ratio, H3PO4/coal. Within the ranges of carbonization temperature and time, the chemicall y activated carbon prepared from carbonization at 500 degrees C for 3 hours was found to have maximum surface area and pore volume values. P hysical activation with CO2 of the initially H3PO4 activated carbon wa s examined and the results suggest that the combined activation is sui table for producing high porosity carbons with a high proportion of me soporosity. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.