What is the difference between graphitized carbon black and activated carbon sorbents? - WKB204603

ENVIRONMENT

• Graphitized carbon black
• Activated carbon
• AC-2

ANSWER

Graphitized carbon black (GCB) is produced from mineral oil or natural gas heated under very high temperature in an oxygen-poor environment. GCB is a crystalline carbon with a layered structure of graphene (single graphite plane). The surface area and mesh size specs are 100 m²/gm and 120/400.

AC-2 (activated carbon) is a highly porous substance that is typically made by heating at high temperature (600-900 °C) without oxygen. Waters AC-2 is made of coconut shell ash. It can absorb most organic molecules nonselectively. The particle size of the Waters AC-2 is 150 to 2 mesh.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Comparison: 

1) GCB is crystalline with 2-D planar structure. AC-2 is an amorphous material.

2) AC-2 has a high surface area with small pores. GCB has relatively large pore size.

3) Due to its graphene structure, GCB has strong absorbance to aromatic compounds or compounds with planar structures via possible pi-pi interactions. AC-2 is great for adsorption for many organic compounds, especially small organic molecules that are difficult to retain with other reverse-phase sorbents.