Materials
Coal-Based Activated Carbon
The volume backbone of Chinese adsorption — wide pore distribution, high density, and stable domestic supply.
What defines it
Coal-based carbon is produced from anthracite, bituminous coal or lignite by crushing or extrusion, carbonization and steam activation. Its signature is a wide pore-size distribution — micropores, mesopores and macropores in one particle — which makes it adaptable to a broad range of molecule sizes. Bituminous-coal grades typically reach iodine 800–1100 mg/g and BET 800–1200 m²/g with hardness 85–95% and ash 8–15%; anthracite grades run slightly lower in iodine (700–900 mg/g) but higher in hardness; lignite grades are lower in both (vendor-typical values — confirm per batch). Chinese standard thresholds: GB/T 7701.2-2008 for water-purification coal carbon requires iodine ≥800 mg/g; CJ/T 345-2010 for municipal drinking-water plants raises the bar to iodine ≥950 mg/g, BET ≥950 m²/g.
Material characteristics
Wide pore distribution
Micro-, meso- and macropores together — adaptable across molecule sizes.
High density
Dense particles suit packed-bed and deep-bed gas duty.
Domestic supply
Coal is abundant in China — stable sourcing and predictable lead times.
Forms and where they fit
- Columnar (extruded) — coal powder kneaded with tar binder and extruded: high density, low dust, reactivatable. Standard for gas-phase packed beds and solvent recovery.
- Broken/irregular granular — crushed, carbonized and activated: municipal water-treatment filters and general liquid duty.
- Powdered — milled coal carbon: water-treatment dosing and flue-gas injection.
- Honeycomb — formed from coal carbon powder: high-flow, low-pressure-drop VOC treatment.
In China, coal-based carbon is the dominant material for municipal water plants and gas-phase treatment — roughly two-thirds of national production. Supply note: the sector sits under "two high" (high energy consumption, high emissions) policy constraints, and premium coal supply is tightening; this is background for long-term planning, not a daily procurement factor.
How to specify it
- State the phase and duty: gas packed bed, water filter, or flue-gas injection.
- Choose the form first — columnar, granular, powdered or honeycomb — then the grade.
- Fix the standard: GB/T 7701.2 (general water) or CJ/T 345 (municipal) for water; GB/T 7701.1 for gas-phase grades.
- Add hardness and ash if the bed is regenerated or dust-sensitive.
Technical background: raw materials comparison in our knowledge center.
Specify the form, we match the grade
Tell us gas or water, flow and contaminant — columnar, granular, powdered or honeycomb.