Biogenic activated carbon and methods of making and using same

Abstract

Biogenic activated carbon compositions disclosed herein comprise at least 55 wt % carbon, some of which may be present as graphene, and have high surface areas, such as Iodine Numbers of greater than 2000. Some embodiments provide biogenic activated carbon that is responsive to a magnetic field. A continuous process for producing biogenic activated carbon comprises countercurrently contacting, by mechanical means, a feedstock with a vapor stream comprising an activation agent including water and/or carbon dioxide; removing vapor from the reaction zone; recycling at least some of the separated vapor stream, or a thermally treated form thereof, to an inlet of the reaction zone(s) and/or to the feedstock; and recovering solids from the reaction zone(s) as biogenic activated carbon. Methods of using the biogenic activated carbon are disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A biogenic activated carbon composition comprising, on a dry basis, about 55 wt % or more total carbon, about 15 wt % or less hydrogen, and less than or equal to about 1 wt % nitrogen;
 wherein said activated carbon composition is characterized by an Iodine Number higher than about 500, and   optionally wherein said composition is responsive to an externally applied magnetic field.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . The biogenic activated carbon composition of  claim 1 , wherein said composition comprises at least about 75 wt %, at least about 85 wt %, or at least about 95 wt % carbon on a dry basis. 
     
     
         4 . The biogenic activated carbon composition of  claim 1 , wherein said composition comprises less than or equal to about 0.5 wt % nitrogen on a dry basis. 
     
     
         5 . The biogenic activated carbon composition of  claim 1 , wherein said composition comprises less than or equal to about 5 wt % hydrogen on a dry basis. 
     
     
         6 . The biogenic activated carbon composition of  claim 1 , wherein said composition further comprises oxygen. 
     
     
         7 . The biogenic activated carbon composition of  claim 6 , wherein said composition comprises between about 1 wt % and about 10 wt % oxygen on a dry basis. 
     
     
         8 . The biogenic activated carbon composition of  claim 1 , wherein said composition comprises about 0.5 wt % or less phosphorus on a dry basis. 
     
     
         9 . The biogenic activated carbon composition of  claim 1 , wherein said composition comprises about 0.2 wt % or less sulfur on a dry basis. 
     
     
         10 . The biogenic activated carbon composition of  claim 1 , wherein said composition further includes an additive selected from an acid, a base, a salt, a metal, a metal oxide, a metal hydroxide, a metal halide, iodine, an iodine compound, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The biogenic activated carbon composition of  claim 10 , wherein said additive is selected from the group consisting of magnesium, manganese, aluminum, nickel, iron, chromium, silicon, boron, cerium, molybdenum, phosphorus, tungsten, vanadium, iron chloride, iron bromide, magnesium oxide, dolomite, dolomitic lime, fluorite, fluorospar, bentonite, calcium oxide, lime, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, hydrogen bromide, hydrogen chloride, sodium silicate, potassium permanganate, organic acids, iodine, an iodine compound, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The biogenic activated carbon composition of  claim 10 , wherein said additive is magnetic or includes a magnetic component. 
     
     
         13 . The biogenic activated carbon composition of  claim 1 , wherein said composition further includes iron. 
     
     
         14 . The biogenic activated carbon composition of  claim 13 , wherein said iron is present in said composition from about 0.0001 wt % to about 1 wt %, from about 0.1 wt % to about 0.5 wt %, from about 0.5 wt % to about 5 wt %, or from about 1 wt % to about 2 wt % on a dry basis. 
     
     
         15 . The biogenic activated carbon composition of  claim 1 , wherein said composition is characterized by an Iodine Number of at least about 1000, at least about 1500, at least about 2000, or from about 2000 to about 2250. 
     
     
         16 . The biogenic activated carbon composition of  claim 1 , wherein said composition is characterized by a surface area of at least about 1000 m2/g, at least about 1500 m2/g, or at least about 2000 m2/g. 
     
     
         17 . The biogenic activated carbon composition of  claim 1 , wherein said composition is in powdered form, granular form, extruded form, or in structural object form. 
     
     
         18 . The biogenic activated carbon composition of  claim 1 , wherein said composition has an Abrasion Number from about 20% to about 99%. 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . A biogenic activated carbon composition comprising, on a dry basis, about 55 wt % or more total carbon, about 15 wt % or less hydrogen, less than or equal to about 1 wt % nitrogen, and from about 0.0001 wt % to about 5 wt % iron;
 wherein at least a portion of said carbon is present in the form of graphene,   wherein said activated carbon composition is characterized by an Iodine Number higher than about 500, and   wherein said composition is responsive to an externally applied magnetic field.   
     
     
         23 . A biogenic activated carbon composition comprising, on a dry basis, about 55 wt % or more total carbon, about 15 wt % or less hydrogen, less than or equal to about 1 wt % nitrogen, and from about 0.1 wt % to about 5 wt % iron;
 wherein said activated carbon composition is characterized by an Iodine Number higher than about 500, and   wherein said composition is responsive to an externally applied magnetic field.   
     
     
         24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . (canceled)