Abstract

DELGADO, Luisa A.  and  GUERRERO DE OLIVA, Clara. Efecto de la activación física sobre la textura física sobre la textura macro y microscópica de carbones activados obtenidos de carbones bituminosos de medio volátil. Rev. LatinAm. Met. Mat. [online]. 2003, vol.23, n.1, pp.63-72. ISSN 0255-6952.

Abstract     It was studied the effect of physical activation upon changes in macro and microscopic textures observed in two activated coals, obtained from bituminous Venezuelan coals of medium and high volatile and low sulfur and ash content. Findings showthat, under identical operation conditions, type and concentration of activating agent, temperature and activation time, activated carbons preparations exhibit different adsorptive properties. It was established that during the succesive carbonization and activation stages implied in the absorbent manufacturing process, important changes occur on its surface, which are closely related to the petrology of starting coals and to the optic textures of char subjeted to subsequent activation. Consecuently, in the preparation of an activated carbon with specific characteristics, the quality of the maceral composition of the stanting coal, quantified in terms of the vitrinite Reflecting Power Index (IR), and its maceral composition (vitrinite, exinite and inertinite) play an important role, as well as the quality of the optic textures of the resultant residual from carbonization, established in terms of their optic texture indexes (OTI) and the percentage compoition of the present textures. While for a coal with a IR of 0.74 best conditions are reached at an activation temperature of 800°C, a coal with a IR of 0.60 requires to be activated at 1000°C in order to reach its best properties.

Keywords : Activated carbon; coal petrology; bituminous coal; physical activation; Index reflector vitrinite.