Acid Treatment Technology of Activated Carbon
Acid treatment is a crucial modification process in the deep processing of industrial activated carbon. Raw activated carbon contains inherent inorganic impurities such as calcium, magnesium and iron oxides, which easily cause impurity precipitation, water yellowing and weakened adsorption performance in actual use. Acid washing can effectively remove residual ash and metal impurities inside the carbon pores, greatly improving the purity and chemical stability of activated carbon.
The standardized acid treatment process includes mild acid soaking, full ion replacement, multi-stage pure water rinsing and high-temperature drying. This process not only strips internal impurities, but also slightly etches and unclogs blocked pore structures. It optimizes the pore size distribution and specific surface area, significantly enhancing the adsorption capacity for heavy metal ions and polar organic pollutants in water bodies.
Acid-modified activated carbon features stable performance and wide pH adaptability, which is widely used in pure water preparation, electroplating wastewater treatment, precious metal recovery and fine chemical purification. It avoids impurity ions occupying adsorption sites, effectively improving the enrichment efficiency of gold and copper ions. The whole process will not damage the carbon skeleton and mechanical strength, with no acid residue left. It is an essential technology to upgrade high-end industrial activated carbon and reduce operational costs.