A review on activated carbon: A versatile material for adsorption and beyond

Activated carbon is a very versatile material, which has a long history of application in various fields. It comes from carbonaceous materials such as wood or coconut shells through a process referred to as activation, making it highly porous and increasing its surface area. This results in high surface area for activated carbon, which becomes an excellent adsorbent in trapping the impurities and the contaminants from liquids and gases. Activated carbon has been around for millennia, with evidence of its use in ancient Egypt for medicinal purposes. Over time, its applications have grown significantly, and today it is an essential component in various industrial processes and household products. Beyond its adsorption properties, activated carbon’s high surface area makes it useful in other applications as well. It can be used as a catalyst or catalyst support in various chemical reactions. Additionally, its unique properties make it applicable in areas like energy storage, metal recovery, and supercapacitors. This paper will delve into the history, production methods (physical and chemical activation), applications (water purification, air purification, etc.), and characterization techniques (iodine number, methylene blue test, etc.) of activated carbon. Furthermore, it addresses the adsorption properties and factors affecting its performance. Finally, modification techniques used to enhance the adsorption capacity of activated carbon for specific applications are discussed.