Classification of Activated Carbons

Activated carbons can be classified accordings to:

(1) Its raw materials such as coal, coconut shell, oil palm fibre, oil palm shell, sawdust, wood etc.

Example:

Raw material/ Activated carbon
-------------- ------------------
Coconut shell/ Coconut shell activated carbon
Sawdust/ Sawdust activated carbon

(2) Its final shapes such as powder activated carbon, granualar activated carbon, pellets, bounded and shapes activated carbons, activated carbon fibre and woven cloth activated carbon.

(3) Pore size distribution:

The pores are classified by their sizes into three main groups:

(i) Micropores: The average pore diameter is less than 2 nm.

(ii) Mesopores: The average pore diameter is between 2-50 nm.

(iii) Macropores: The average pore diameter is more than 50 nm.

For example if the average pore diameter of an activated carbon is 2.28 nm, its called mesporous activated carbon.