Why should activated carbon be acid-washed and water-washed?

{"news_id":8935,"is_preview":0,"news_info":{"id":8935,"company_id":176,"user_id":411,"author":"","website_id":781,"pub_date":"2024-06-06 11:12:16","urla":"why-should-activated-carbon-be-acid-washed-and-water-washed-","description":"In order to improve the adsorption performance and service life of activated carbon, it is usually necessary to acid-wash and water-wash it. This article will discuss in detail why","image_url":"https:\/\/oss.matchpages.cn\/matchpages\/common\/2024\/0319\/2146\/65f9475284a71\/ACarbon%C2%AE-Activated-Carbon-Products.webp","image_alt":"ACarbon\u00ae-Activated-Carbon-Products","title":"Why should activated carbon be acid-washed and water-washed?","content":"<h1 style=\"line-height: 1.6;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Why should activated carbon be acid-washed and water-washed? What are the effects?<\/strong><\/span><\/h1>\n<p style=\"line-height: 1.6;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Activated carbon, as a high-quality adsorption material, is widely used in<\/span><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"color: #e67e23; text-decoration: underline;\"> <a style=\"color: #e67e23; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"activated-carbon-applications\" data-page_id=\"19699\" data-page_name=\"Activated Carbon Applications \uff5c ACC\" data-page_type=\"menuPage\">water treatment, air purification, food processing, medicine<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/strong> <span style=\"color: #000000;\">and other fields. In order to improve the adsorption performance and service life of activated carbon, it is usually necessary to acid-wash and water-wash it. This article will discuss in detail why activated carbon should be acid-washed and water-washed, and its specific effects and processes.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"line-height: 1.6;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #169179;\">The necessity of acid-washing and water-washing<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n<p style=\"line-height: 1.6;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>1. Remove impurities<\/strong><\/span><br \/><span style=\"color: #000000;\">During the production process of activated carbon, some inorganic impurities and ash, such as metal oxides and sulfides, may be introduced. These impurities not only affect the adsorption performance of activated carbon, but also release harmful substances during use, polluting the treatment object. Acid-washing can effectively remove these inorganic impurities and improve the purity and adsorption capacity of activated carbon.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"line-height: 1.6;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>2. Increase specific surface area<\/strong><\/span><br \/><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Acid-washing can remove impurities from the surface and pores of activated carbon, increase its specific surface area and porosity. This helps to improve the adsorption capacity of activated carbon, so that it can more efficiently adsorb pollutants when treating media such as water and air.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"line-height: 1.6;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>3. Improve surface chemical properties<\/strong><\/span><br \/><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The chemical properties of the surface of activated carbon have an important influence on its <span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #e67e23;\"><strong><a style=\"color: #e67e23; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/allcarbon.com.cn\/adsorption\" data-page_id=\"0\" data-page_name=\"\" data-page_type=\"\">adsorption<\/a><\/strong><\/span> performance. Acid washing can change the functional group composition of the activated carbon surface, increase oxygen-containing functional groups (such as carboxyl, hydroxyl, etc.), and thus enhance its adsorption capacity for certain pollutants. In addition, acid washing can also reduce the alkalinity of the activated carbon surface and improve its stability under acidic conditions.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"line-height: 1.6;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>4. Adjusting the pH value of activated carbon<\/strong><\/span><br \/><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The <span style=\"color: #e67e23;\"><strong><a style=\"color: #e67e23;\" href=\"ph-value\" data-page_id=\"8344\" data-page_name=\"pH Value\" data-page_type=\"blogPage\">pH value of activated carbon<\/a> <\/strong><\/span>also has a significant effect on its adsorption performance. Untreated activated carbon may contain some alkaline substances, which will affect the adsorption effect of activated carbon, especially when treating acidic media. Through acid washing, these alkaline substances can be removed and the pH value of activated carbon can be adjusted to make it more suitable for different application environments. For example, in the water treatment process, the pH value of activated carbon after acid washing is more neutral, which helps to improve its adsorption efficiency and treatment effect.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"line-height: 1.6;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>5. Improve service life<\/strong><\/span><br \/><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Acid washing can reduce the blockage and deterioration of activated carbon caused by impurities during use, thereby extending its service life. At the same time, activated carbon treated with acid washing and water washing is less prone to secondary pollution during use, ensuring the stability and durability of the treatment effect.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"line-height: 1.6;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #169179;\">Specific process of pickling and water washing<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n<p style=\"line-height: 1.6;\"><br \/><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>1. Pickling<\/strong><\/span><br \/><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Pickling refers to soaking activated carbon in an acid solution to remove inorganic impurities and ash on its surface and in its pores. Commonly used acid solutions include hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, sulfuric acid, etc. The pickling process is as follows:<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"line-height: 1.6;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Prepare acid solution: According to the amount of activated carbon to be treated, prepare an acid solution of appropriate concentration. The concentration of commonly used hydrochloric acid solution is 5%-10%.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"line-height: 1.6;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Soaking: Add activated carbon to the acid solution and soak for a certain period of time (usually several hours to several days) to allow the acid solution to fully penetrate into the pores of the activated carbon and react with impurities.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"line-height: 1.6;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Stirring: During the soaking process, stir the activated carbon and acid solution regularly to make the reaction more uniform and thorough.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"line-height: 1.6;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Filtration: After the soaking is completed, filter out the acid solution and collect the treated activated carbon.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"line-height: 1.6;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>2. Water washing<\/strong><\/span><br \/><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Water washing refers to rinsing the activated carbon after pickling with pure water to remove residual acid and dissolved impurities. The water washing process is as follows:<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"line-height: 1.6;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Preliminary rinsing: Put the activated carbon after acid washing into clean water, stir it thoroughly, and perform preliminary rinsing to remove most of the residual acid and impurities.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"line-height: 1.6;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Repeated rinsing: Put the activated carbon after preliminary rinsing into new clean water and rinse it repeatedly until the pH value of the washing liquid is close to neutral (pH value is between 6-7). This step requires multiple changes of clean water to ensure that the residual acid in the activated carbon is completely removed.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"line-height: 1.6;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Drying: After the water washing is completed, the activated carbon is filtered and dried at an appropriate temperature to restore it to a dry state for subsequent use.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"line-height: 1.6;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #169179;\">Considerations in practical applications<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n<p style=\"line-height: 1.6;\"><br \/><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>1. Selection of acid washing<\/strong><\/span><br \/><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Selecting the appropriate acid washing solution and concentration is crucial to ensure the quality and performance of activated carbon. Different types of activated carbon and application scenarios may require different acid washing treatments. For example, hydrochloric acid is suitable for removing general metal oxide impurities, while nitric acid is more suitable for removing sulfur compound impurities.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"line-height: 1.6;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>2. Thoroughness of water washing<\/strong><\/span><br \/><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The thoroughness of the water washing process directly affects the final quality of the activated carbon. Residual acid not only affects the adsorption performance of activated carbon, but may also release harmful substances during use. Therefore, during the water washing process, attention should be paid to controlling the pH value of the washing liquid to ensure that it is close to neutral.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"line-height: 1.6;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>3. Economic cost<\/strong><\/span><br \/><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Although acid washing and water washing can significantly improve the quality and performance of activated carbon, they will also increase production costs. In actual production, it is necessary to weigh the relationship between treatment cost and activated carbon performance, and select appropriate treatment methods and process parameters according to specific needs.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"line-height: 1.6;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #169179;\">The importance of acid washing and water washing<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n<p style=\"line-height: 1.6;\"><br \/><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Through acid washing and water washing, activated carbon can remove impurities, increase specific surface area, improve surface chemical properties, and adjust pH value, thereby significantly improving its adsorption performance and service life. These treatment processes have important application value in water treatment, air purification, food processing and medicine. In actual applications, enterprises should select appropriate acid washing and water washing processes according to specific needs and conditions to ensure the optimal performance and economic benefits of activated carbon.<\/span><\/p>","discuss":0,"seo_title":"Why should activated carbon be acid-washed and water-washed?","seo_keyword":"activated carbon acid washing, activated carbon water washing, activated carbon treatment, improving activated carbon adsorption, activated carbon purification","seo_describe":"This article will discuss in detail why activated carbon should be acid-washed and water-washed, and its specific effects and processes.","track_code":"","viewer":"","source_copy_id":0,"sort":28,"status":0,"data_time":"2024-06-06 11:12:16","create_time":"2024-06-06 11:07:46","update_time":"2025-04-02 09:56:43","type_items":[{"id":2083,"website_id":781,"name":"Activated Carbon","urla":""}],"tag_items":[{"id":6846,"website_id":781,"name":"acid-washed"},{"id":6847,"website_id":781,"name":"water-washed"}]}}

<h1 style="line-height: 1.6;"><span style="color: #000000;"><strong>Why should activated carbon be acid-washed and water-washed? What are the effects?</strong></span></h1>
<p style="line-height: 1.6;"><span style="color: #000000;">Activated carbon, as a high-quality adsorption material, is widely used in</span><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="color: #e67e23; text-decoration: underline;"> <a style="color: #e67e23; text-decoration: underline;" href="activated-carbon-applications" data-page_id="19699" data-page_name="Activated Carbon Applications ｜ ACC" data-page_type="menuPage">water treatment, air purification, food processing, medicine</a></span></span></strong> <span style="color: #000000;">and other fields. In order to improve the adsorption performance and service life of activated carbon, it is usually necessary to acid-wash and water-wash it. This article will discuss in detail why activated carbon should be acid-washed and water-washed, and its specific effects and processes.</span></p>
<h2 style="line-height: 1.6;"><strong><span style="color: #169179;">The necessity of acid-washing and water-washing</span></strong></h2>
<p style="line-height: 1.6;"><span style="color: #000000;"><strong>1. Remove impurities</strong></span><br /><span style="color: #000000;">During the production process of activated carbon, some inorganic impurities and ash, such as metal oxides and sulfides, may be introduced. These impurities not only affect the adsorption performance of activated carbon, but also release harmful substances during use, polluting the treatment object. Acid-washing can effectively remove these inorganic impurities and improve the purity and adsorption capacity of activated carbon.</span></p>
<p style="line-height: 1.6;"><span style="color: #000000;"><strong>2. Increase specific surface area</strong></span><br /><span style="color: #000000;">Acid-washing can remove impurities from the surface and pores of activated carbon, increase its specific surface area and porosity. This helps to improve the adsorption capacity of activated carbon, so that it can more efficiently adsorb pollutants when treating media such as water and air.</span></p>
<p style="line-height: 1.6;"><span style="color: #000000;"><strong>3. Improve surface chemical properties</strong></span><br /><span style="color: #000000;">The chemical properties of the surface of activated carbon have an important influence on its <span style="text-decoration: underline; color: #e67e23;"><strong><a style="color: #e67e23; text-decoration: underline;" href="https://allcarbon.com.cn/adsorption" data-page_id="0" data-page_name="" data-page_type="">adsorption</a></strong></span> performance. Acid washing can change the functional group composition of the activated carbon surface, increase oxygen-containing functional groups (such as carboxyl, hydroxyl, etc.), and thus enhance its adsorption capacity for certain pollutants. In addition, acid washing can also reduce the alkalinity of the activated carbon surface and improve its stability under acidic conditions.</span></p>
<p style="line-height: 1.6;"><span style="color: #000000;"><strong>4. Adjusting the pH value of activated carbon</strong></span><br /><span style="color: #000000;">The <span style="color: #e67e23;"><strong><a style="color: #e67e23;" href="ph-value" data-page_id="8344" data-page_name="pH Value" data-page_type="blogPage">pH value of activated carbon</a> </strong></span>also has a significant effect on its adsorption performance. Untreated activated carbon may contain some alkaline substances, which will affect the adsorption effect of activated carbon, especially when treating acidic media. Through acid washing, these alkaline substances can be removed and the pH value of activated carbon can be adjusted to make it more suitable for different application environments. For example, in the water treatment process, the pH value of activated carbon after acid washing is more neutral, which helps to improve its adsorption efficiency and treatment effect.</span></p>
<p style="line-height: 1.6;"><span style="color: #000000;"><strong>5. Improve service life</strong></span><br /><span style="color: #000000;">Acid washing can reduce the blockage and deterioration of activated carbon caused by impurities during use, thereby extending its service life. At the same time, activated carbon treated with acid washing and water washing is less prone to secondary pollution during use, ensuring the stability and durability of the treatment effect.</span></p>
<h2 style="line-height: 1.6;"><strong><span style="color: #169179;">Specific process of pickling and water washing</span></strong></h2>
<p style="line-height: 1.6;"><br /><span style="color: #000000;"><strong>1. Pickling</strong></span><br /><span style="color: #000000;">Pickling refers to soaking activated carbon in an acid solution to remove inorganic impurities and ash on its surface and in its pores. Commonly used acid solutions include hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, sulfuric acid, etc. The pickling process is as follows:</span></p>
<p style="line-height: 1.6;"><span style="color: #000000;">Prepare acid solution: According to the amount of activated carbon to be treated, prepare an acid solution of appropriate concentration. The concentration of commonly used hydrochloric acid solution is 5%-10%.</span></p>
<p style="line-height: 1.6;"><span style="color: #000000;">Soaking: Add activated carbon to the acid solution and soak for a certain period of time (usually several hours to several days) to allow the acid solution to fully penetrate into the pores of the activated carbon and react with impurities.</span></p>
<p style="line-height: 1.6;"><span style="color: #000000;">Stirring: During the soaking process, stir the activated carbon and acid solution regularly to make the reaction more uniform and thorough.</span></p>
<p style="line-height: 1.6;"><span style="color: #000000;">Filtration: After the soaking is completed, filter out the acid solution and collect the treated activated carbon.</span></p>
<p style="line-height: 1.6;"><span style="color: #000000;"><strong>2. Water washing</strong></span><br /><span style="color: #000000;">Water washing refers to rinsing the activated carbon after pickling with pure water to remove residual acid and dissolved impurities. The water washing process is as follows:</span></p>
<p style="line-height: 1.6;"><span style="color: #000000;">Preliminary rinsing: Put the activated carbon after acid washing into clean water, stir it thoroughly, and perform preliminary rinsing to remove most of the residual acid and impurities.</span></p>
<p style="line-height: 1.6;"><span style="color: #000000;">Repeated rinsing: Put the activated carbon after preliminary rinsing into new clean water and rinse it repeatedly until the pH value of the washing liquid is close to neutral (pH value is between 6-7). This step requires multiple changes of clean water to ensure that the residual acid in the activated carbon is completely removed.</span></p>
<p style="line-height: 1.6;"><span style="color: #000000;">Drying: After the water washing is completed, the activated carbon is filtered and dried at an appropriate temperature to restore it to a dry state for subsequent use.</span></p>
<h2 style="line-height: 1.6;"><strong><span style="color: #169179;">Considerations in practical applications</span></strong></h2>
<p style="line-height: 1.6;"><br /><span style="color: #000000;"><strong>1. Selection of acid washing</strong></span><br /><span style="color: #000000;">Selecting the appropriate acid washing solution and concentration is crucial to ensure the quality and performance of activated carbon. Different types of activated carbon and application scenarios may require different acid washing treatments. For example, hydrochloric acid is suitable for removing general metal oxide impurities, while nitric acid is more suitable for removing sulfur compound impurities.</span></p>
<p style="line-height: 1.6;"><span style="color: #000000;"><strong>2. Thoroughness of water washing</strong></span><br /><span style="color: #000000;">The thoroughness of the water washing process directly affects the final quality of the activated carbon. Residual acid not only affects the adsorption performance of activated carbon, but may also release harmful substances during use. Therefore, during the water washing process, attention should be paid to controlling the pH value of the washing liquid to ensure that it is close to neutral.</span></p>
<p style="line-height: 1.6;"><span style="color: #000000;"><strong>3. Economic cost</strong></span><br /><span style="color: #000000;">Although acid washing and water washing can significantly improve the quality and performance of activated carbon, they will also increase production costs. In actual production, it is necessary to weigh the relationship between treatment cost and activated carbon performance, and select appropriate treatment methods and process parameters according to specific needs.</span></p>
<h2 style="line-height: 1.6;"><strong><span style="color: #169179;">The importance of acid washing and water washing</span></strong></h2>
<p style="line-height: 1.6;"><br /><span style="color: #000000;">Through acid washing and water washing, activated carbon can remove impurities, increase specific surface area, improve surface chemical properties, and adjust pH value, thereby significantly improving its adsorption performance and service life. These treatment processes have important application value in water treatment, air purification, food processing and medicine. In actual applications, enterprises should select appropriate acid washing and water washing processes according to specific needs and conditions to ensure the optimal performance and economic benefits of activated carbon.</span></p>