Process for making treated activated carbon

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a durable chemical treatment to enhance the adsorbency of activated carbon, which may be exposed to liquids such as rain, sweat, water, and the like. The treatment comprises a fluorocarbon that is applied at low add-on levels (that is, between about 0.1% and about 5%). The treated activated carbon is useful in a number of applications, including air filters, gas masks, solvent recovery devices, and chemical and biological protective gear.

1 . A process for treating activated carbon to improve its adsorptive properties, said process comprising: 
 providing an activated carbon material;    immersing said activated carbon material in a solvent;    removing said activated carbon material from said solvent and immediately immersing in a solution containing a fluorocarbon copolymer resin having at least one monomer with a C 4  to C 24  perfluoro-alkyl radical and at least one non-fluorinated monomer to coat said activated carbon material; and    drying said coated activated carbon material to remove said solvent.    
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein said activated carbon material is made from a source selected from the group consisting of coconut shells, coal, wood, rayon, peat, polyacrylonitrile, phenol formaldehyde resin, and cross-linked polystyrene resin.  
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 2 , wherein said activated carbon material is made from coconut shells.  
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 2 , wherein said activated carbon material is made from phenol formaldehyde resin.  
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein said solvent is selected from the group consisting of water, acetone, and alcohols.  
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 5 , wherein said solvent is water.  
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein said fluorocarbon copolymer resin is an acrylic copolymer that contains a monomer with a perfluorinated alkyl chain.  
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein said drying occurs at a temperature of between about 100° C. and about 400° C.