Highly mesoporous activated carbon

Abstract

Highly mesoporous activated carbon products are disclosed with mesoporosities characterized by mesopore volumes of 0.7 to 1.0 cubic centimeters per gram or greater. Also disclosed are activated carbon products characterized by a Molasses Number of about 500 to 1000 or greater. Also disclosed are activated carbon products characterized by a Tannin Value of about 100 to 35 or less. The activated carbon products may be further characterized by total pore volumes of at least 0.85 cubic centimeters per gram and BET surface areas of at least about 800 square meters per gram. The activated carbon product may be derived from a renewable feedstock.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An activated carbon product, wherein said product has a mesoporosity characterized by mesopore volume of about 0.5 cubic centimeters per gram or greater. 
     
     
         2 . The activated carbon product of  claim 1 , wherein said mesopore volume is about 0.7 cubic centimeters per gram or greater. 
     
     
         3 . The activated carbon product of  claim 2 , wherein said mesopore volume is about 1.0 cubic centimeters per gram or greater. 
     
     
         4 . An activated carbon product, wherein said product is characterized by a Molasses Number of about 500 or greater. 
     
     
         5 . The activated carbon product of  claim 4 , wherein said product is characterized by a Molasses Number of about 750 or greater. 
     
     
         6 . The activated carbon product of  claim 5 , wherein said product is characterized by a Molasses Number of about 1000 or greater. 
     
     
         7 . An activated carbon product, wherein said product is characterized by a Tannin Value of about 100 or less. 
     
     
         8 . The activated carbon product of  claim 7 , wherein said product is characterized by a Tannin Value of about 50 or less. 
     
     
         9 . The activated carbon product of  claim 8 , wherein said product is characterized by a Tannin Value of about 35 or less. 
     
     
         10 . An activated carbon product, wherein said product has a mesoporosity characterized by mesopore volume of at least about 0.5 cubic centimeters per gram, a Molasses Number of about 500 or greater, and a Tannin Value of about 100 or less. 
     
     
         11 . The activated carbon product of  claim 10 , wherein said product has a mesoporosity characterized by mesopore volume of at least about 0.7 cubic centimeters per gram, a Molasses Number of about 1000 or greater, and a Tannin Value of about 35 or less. 
     
     
         12 . The activated carbon product of  claim 11 , wherein said product is further characterized by a total pore volume of at least about 0.85 cubic centimeters per gram. 
     
     
         13 . The activated carbon product of  claim 11 , wherein said product is further characterized by a BET surface area of at least about 800 square meters per gram. 
     
     
         14 . The activated carbon product of  claim 1 , wherein said activated carbon product is derived from a renewable feedstock. 
     
     
         15 . The activated carbon product of  claim 14 , wherein said renewable feedstock is selected from Loblolly pine, Shortleaf Pine, Longleaf pine, or Slash pine. 
     
     
         16 . A method of using an activated carbon product characterized by mesopore volume of about 0.5 cubic centimeters per gram or greater, wherein said activated carbon product is utilized for one or more applications selected from the group consisting of water purification, groundwater treatment, wastewater treatment, removal of odor-producing or taste-producing compounds from a liquid, emissions control, energy storage, energy transfer, capacitance, ion storage, and ion transfer. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said mesopore volume is about 1.0 cubic centimeters per gram or greater. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said product is characterized by a Molasses Number of about 500 or greater. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said Molasses Number is about 1000 or greater. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said product is characterized by a Tannin Value of about 100 or less. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said Tannin Value is about 35 or less. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said product is characterized by a total pore volume of at least about 0.85 cubic centimeters per gram and a BET surface area of at least about 800 square meters per gram.