ABSTRACT
Activated carbon is the strongest non-selective adsorbent where adsorption is controlled by van der Waals forces which can be correlated with the relative size of the molecule and the pores. The cross-linking agent is normally used in an amount of from 5 to 20 parts by weight (pbw) per 100 parts by weight of the nucleophilic components, e.g. novolac, typically around 10 pbw cross-linking agent per 100 pbw of nucleophilic component. The three-dimensional structure of the initial novolak resin is, however, far more complex than represented by the simple structure above and even at the initial polymer stage comprises tangled short chains and ring structures that lead to the production of the “glass” carbons on further polymerisation and pyrolysis. There are numerous routes for the production of meso/small macroporous carbons based on polymers or naturally occurring materials reported in the literature.
