Coconut Shell Activated Carbon

What defines it

Coconut-shell carbon is made from coconut-shell char activated at high temperature with steam. The dense natural shell structure survives activation: the finished carbon is the hardest of the common raw-material families, low in ash, and dominated by micropores — pores under 2 nm that fit small molecules such as chlorine, small solvent molecules and trace organics. Typical commercial specification ranges (vendor-typical values): iodine number 900–1200+ mg/g, BET surface area 900–1300 m²/g, hardness 95–99%, ash 2–5%, apparent density 0.45–0.55 g/mL. All figures must be confirmed against the product certificate for the specific batch — raw-material family is a starting point, not a specification.

Where it performs best

• Drinking-water purification and dechlorination
• Industrial water treatment
• Gold recovery (CIP/CIL, heap leaching)
• Food and pharmaceutical purification grades
• Gas-phase VOC adsorption
• Electronics-grade high-purity water

Supply note for China-based buyers: commercial coconut-shell char is almost entirely imported (Southeast Asia, mainly Indonesia and the Philippines). Lead times and pricing track import logistics — relevant for planning.

How to specify it

1. State the contaminant and concentration — not just the raw material.
2. Fix the test method: iodine number per GB/T 7702.7, GB/T 12496.8 or ASTM D4607 are different methods; values are not directly interchangeable.
3. Add the property checks that matter to your duty: hardness/strength, ash, density, mesh size.
4. For humid gas duty, ask for breakthrough data at your humidity, not dry-lab conditions.

Technical background: raw materials comparison in our knowledge center.