CHAPTER 3: Use of Screening Methods to
Analyze Activated Carbon Produced Using
Various Process Conditions, Chemical Activating
Agents, and Carbon Precursor Materials
3.1: ABSTRACT
The following paper proposes several screening procedures for the production of
activated carbon. Analyzing carbons can be expensive and time consuming, making it
important to identify physical properties which indicate that a carbon may have
favorable performance characteristics. The following paper proposes three ways of
screening carbons: observing the mass loss in the chemical activation process,
measuring the density of the carbon, and testing the methane uptake of the carbon in a
rapid uptake fixture. Carbons made from different precursors, reacted with different
activating agents, and heated at different process temperatures for different process
hold times were analyzed. Previous analysis has shown that carbon activated at 790°C
for one hour at a ratio of 3:1 KOH to carbon exhibits exceptional methane storage
capabilities and physical properties. The goal of this paper is to propose alternatives
that emulate the sample mass loss, density, and methane uptake of this carbon by using
different materials, process temperatures, and process hold times.