Activated carbon, also known as activated charcoal, is a highly porous carbonaceous material with a vast surface area used for adsorption of various substances. It's produced by heating carbon-rich materials like charcoal, coconut shells, or coal, and then "activating" it, typically with high temperatures and/or chemicals, to create a porous structure. This porous structure allows activated carbon to effectively trap impurities from liquids and gases, making it a widely used purification agent.
Raw materials like charcoal, coal, or coconut shells are heated in the absence of oxygen (pyrolysis) to remove volatile components and increase carbon content.
Activated carbon's primary function is adsorption, where molecules of a substance (adsorbate) adhere to the surface of the activated carbon (adsorbent).