Active carbon fibers water purification

Activated carbon fiber has been recognized as an alternative adsorbent material for purification of water [240-242] and air [243]. Adsorption onto ACF is especially selective towards low molecular weight compounds and VOCs [244]. hi gas phase applications, ACF-based adsorbents can be potentially employed for removal of SO2 (especially PAN-based ACF) [245-246] and NO, fiom air [247-248]. However, as there is no compelling evidence that ACF perform better in removal of these contaminants than other carbon adsorbents, its application is still limited. Nevertheless, the popularity of ACFs is expected to increase along with reduction of their cost. 

Other advantage of ACFs is the possibility to prepare woven clothes and nonwoven mats, which developed new applications in small purification systems for water treatment and also as a deodorant in refrigerators in houses, recently reported. In order to give the fibers an antibacterial function and to increase their deodorant fimetion, some trials on supporting minute particles of different metals, such as Ag, Cu and Mn, were performed. Table 5. 2 presented comparison between properties of activated carbon fibers and granular activated carbons [13-46]. 

Coal is also an essential ingredient in the production of specialist products such as (1) activated carbon, which is used in filters for water and air purification and in kidney dialysis machines, (2) carbon fiber, which is an extremely strong but light-weight reinforcement material used in construction, and (3) silicon metal, which is used to produce silicones and silanes that, in turn, are used to make lubricants, water repellents, resins, cosmetics, hair shampoos, and toothpastes. 

Miscellaneous Coal is also essential in manufacturing special products such as carbon fibers and activated carbon used as catalyst (support) or adsorbent for water/gas purification and kidney dialysis. 

Areas in which further developments are expected are related to the optimization of the solution of air and water pollution, gas purification (removal of oxides of sulfur and nitrogen, of hydrogen sulfide, motor vehicle emissions, etc.), gas separation, mineral industries, regeneration, etc. Many of these areas will require the use of new forms of activated carbon such as cloth, felts, fibers, monoliths, etc., and consequently a search for the appropriate precursor and preparation mode is essential. Other areas in continuous progress will be gas storage, carbon molecular sieves and heterogeneous catalysis, all of them requiring considerable research efforts in the next few years. 

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