Thermal treatment of active carbons: A comparison between microwave and electrical heating

Two commercial activated carbons were subjected to thermal treatment in a N -2 atmosphere using a microwave multimode resonant cavity and a conventiona l electric tube furnace as heat sources. The temperature of the carbon bed during the microwave treatment was monitored using an infrared pyrometer an d an Inconel sheltered type-K thermocouple. A comparison between both metho ds of measuring temperature was made. When similar treatment temperatures a re used, both techniques produce similar changes in the textural and chemic al properties of the activated carbons. However, microwave treatment is muc h less time-consuming than conventional heating. Microwave treatment in an inert environment seems to be an efficient and attractive way of removing o xygenated functionalities from carbon surfaces and of increasing the hydrop hobicity and basicity of carbons.