Charcoal is a basic form of carbon that is primarily used as a fuel source, while activated charcoal (also known as activated carbon) is a highly porous and adsorbent form of carbon that is used for a wide range of applications, including water treatment, air purification, chemical industry, food and medicine.
Similarities between ordinary charcoal and activated charcoal
From the perspective of the elemental composition of matter, there is not much difference between activated carbon (activated charcoal) and charcoal, that is, both are composed of carbon elements. And from the perspective of the structure of matter, the two both have a loose and porous structure, which is also the reason why they have adsorption capacity. Their raw materials are all wooden materials such as wood and coconut shells.
From the discussion above, we can see that activated carbon has a great deal in common with charcoal, but there are some key differences between the two as well.
Difference between ordinary charcoal and activated charcoal
1. Different specific surface area and adsorption capacity
From the perspective of the elemental composition and structure of matter, there is not much difference between activated carbon (activated charcoal) and charcoal. They are both composed of carbon elements and are both loose and porous. The difference between activated carbon and ordinary charcoal is that activated carbon is more loose and has stronger adsorption capacity.
Activated carbon has the characteristics of multiple pores, large specific surface area, and active chemical substances. Its pore size and structure are diverse, and its surface area is generally greater than 500 square meters/gram. This porous structure gives activated carbon extremely strong adsorption capacity and chemical activity. In contrast, the pore structure of ordinary charcoal is relatively small, with a surface area usually less than 100 square meters/gram, and relatively weak adsorption capacity.
2. Different preparation processes
From the perspective of preparation technology, there is a significant difference between activated carbon and ordinary charcoal.
Activated carbon is a product obtained from wood, coal, and other materials after activation treatment. In addition to carbonization process, activated carbon also needs to go through activation, acid washing, and drying stages. While charcoal is a dark brown or black porous solid fuel, which remains from incomplete combustion of wood or wooden raw materials, or pyrolysis under isolated air conditions. Ordinary raw wood charcoal only goes through the carbonization stage. Activated carbon is further processed based on the carbonization of raw materials, and the process is more complex than ordinary charcoal.
Compared to ordinary charcoal and machine-made charcoal, in the production of machine-made charcoal briquettes, wood materials need to be first crushed into small sizes, dried to a certain humidity, compressed to a certain shape, and finally carbonized.
So, in terms of the complexity of the process, it can be classified as follows:
| Type | Activated Charcoal | Raw Wood Charcoal | Machine-made Charcoal Briquettes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Process |
carbonization activation acid washing drying |
carbonization |
crushing drying shaping carbonization |
3. Different Usage
From the perspective of usage, activated carbon is a material widely used in water treatment, air purification, chemical industry, food, medicine and other fields, while ordinary charcoal charcoal is a basic form of carbon primarily used as a fuel source, which is widely used for heating, cooking, and grilling, etc. The essence of active carbon is also a type of charcoal. However, it differs greatly from other ordinary charcoal in terms of structure and application fields. The main factor leading to this result is that activated carbon has a more developed pore structure and a larger specific surface area compared to ordinary charcoal.
Activated carbon has a high adsorption capacity for organic matter and is widely used in advanced wastewater treatment. Activated carbon is also used for chemical catalysts and carriers, gas purification, solvent recovery, and decolorization and refining of oils and fats. Activated carbon is commonly used for adsorption and removal of indoor pollution, furniture odor removal, and car odor removal.
Comparison between machine-made charcoal and raw wood charcoal
Machine-made charcoal is made by processing and pressing wood waste, crop waste, fruit shells and so on, with relatively low production costs and relatively cheap prices. In contrast, raw wood charcoal needs to be made from natural wood, so the price is slightly higher than that of machine-made charcoal. Therefore, in terms of price, machine-made charcoal briquettes is more competitive in the market and more easily accepted by consumers.
The combustion time of machine-made charcoal is relatively long, the firepower is long-lasting and stable, and the combustion does not sprinkle dust, and the smoke smell is relatively small, which will not affect the taste of food. The original charcoal has strong firepower, but burns quickly and needs to be added frequently. At the same time, when burning charcoal, it will sprinkle ash, emit thick smoke and odor, and bad charcoal can sometimes affect the taste of food. Machine-made charcoal has a hollow or solid structure with uniform length and size, which is more conducive to combustion and use.
