Powdered varieties of Activated Carbon are used in liquid phase application primarily for removal of undesired colour, smell and other impurities in many types of industries including basic drugs, fine chemicals, glucose, sugar, electroplating plasticizers and so on. Quite often, powdered carbon is washed with acid and then, repeatedly with water & dried to minimize impurities like soluble ash-iron, heavy metals etc. Activated Carbon is invariably used in a batch process at the penultimate stage of manufacture of a product. A pre-determined quantity of activated carbon is added to a solution and after stirring for a certain contact time mostly at elevated temperature carbon is filtered out or settled to get a sparkling colour free solutions from which product is recovered. it is pertinent to mention that use of powdered activated carbon apart from decolourising imparts several other benefits like longer shelf life, truer, and bolder crystals, closer melting and boiling points etc.
Specifications for wood based powder Activated Carbon – Unwashed
Properties |
Grade |
ASTM |
SC-15 |
SC-20 |
SC-25 |
SC-30 |
Methylene Blue Value min (mg/gm) |
150 |
200 |
250 |
300 |
Iodine Value min (mg/gm) |
900 |
1100 |
1300 |
1600 |
Moisture (%) Max |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
ph |
10 |
10 |
10 |
10 |
Ash (%) Max |
15 |
12 |
12 |
12 |
Ironppm Max |
500 |
500 |
500 |
500 |
Acid Soluble Matter (%) |
10 |
10 |
10 |
10 |
Water Soluble Matter (%) |
7 |
7 |
5 |
5 |
Particle Size through 200 mesh (%) |
90 |
90 |
90 |
90 |
Specifications for wood based powder Activated Carbon – washed
TEST ASTM |
SC-200 |
SC-250 |
SC-280 |
SC-320 |
SC-350 |
SC-400 |
SC-500 |
Methylene Blue mg/g |
200 |
250 |
280 |
320 |
350 |
400 |
500 |
KMnO4 % min |
45 |
50 |
60 |
75 |
85 |
90 |
92 |
Ash % |
4 |
4 |
3 |
2.5 |
2 |
1 |
1.0 |
Iron ppm max |
250 |
250 |
200 |
150 |
100 |
50 |
50 |
Acid Solubles %max |
1.5 |
1.5 |
1.5 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
Water Solubles % max |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
pH |
6 to 7.5 |
6 to 7.5 |
6 to 7.5 |
6 to 7.5 |
6 to 7.5 |
6 to 7.5 |
6 to 7.5 |
Moisture % max |
7 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
Chloride Ppm max |
1200 |
1200 |
1000 |
500 |
450 |
400 |
300 |
Standard |
IP |
IP |
IP |
IP |
IP |
IP |
IP |