Technique for surface oxidation of activated carbon

摘要

A mild oxidizing acid wash of activated carbon in the presence of an oxidation catalyst produces an adsorbent, with a large carboxyl IR spectra peak, having a favorable water adsorption isotherm that can be used for both pressure swing adsorption, PSA, or thermal swing adsorption, TSA, drying of gases. The oxidation catalyst is a metal salt wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of copper, chromium and nickel.