Abstract: Porous carbon is provided which is a carbonization and optionally an activation product of a precursor resin, which has a pore structure that, as estimated by nitrogen adsorption porosimetry, comprises micropores and mesopores/macropores, said micropores and mesopores/macropores being in a bimodal distribution with few pores of size 2-10 nm, and the mesopores/macropores providing escape routes for volatile products during carbonization of the precursor resin. The porous carbon can be made by a method which comprises (a) forming a precursor resin by reacting a nucleophilic component which comprises a phenolic compound or a phenol condensation prepolymer optionally with one or more modifying reagents with an electrophilic cross-linking agent selected from formaldehyde, paraformaldehyde, furfural and hexamethylene tetramine in solution in a pore former e.g.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to carbonizing and activating carbonaceous material.

Abstract: A cured porous phenolic resin is provided that can be made by cross-linking a phenol-formaldehyde pre-polymer in the presence of a pore former, preferably ethylene glycol. The resin may be formed in situ by condensing a phenol with or without modifying agents and with cross-linking agent by pouring partially cross-linked resin into hot oil, in which case mesoporous resin beads are obtained. The resulting resin has mesopores observable in carbon derived from said resin by a pore structure of said derived carbon that comprises mesopores of diameter of 20-500 ?, as estimated by nitrogen adsorption porosimentry, the value for the differential of pore volume V with respect to the logarithm of pore radius R (dV/d log R) for the mesopores being greater than 0.2 for at least some values of pore size in the range 20-500 ?. Microporous beads of the resin may be carbonized into mesoporous carbon beads.

Abstract: A cured porous phenolic resin is provided that can be made by cross-linking a phenol-formaldehyde pre-polymer in the presence of a pore former, preferably ethylene glycol. The resin may be formed in situ by condensing a phenol with or without modifying agents and with cross-linking agent by pouring partially cross-linked resin into hot oil, in which case mesoporous resin beads are obtained. The resulting resin has mesopores observable in carbon derived from said resin by a pore structure of said derived carbon that comprises mesopores of diameter of 20-500 ?, as estimated by nitrogen adsorption porosimentry, the value for the differential of pore volume V with respect to the logarithm of pore radius R (dV/d log R) for the mesopores being greater than 0.2 for at least some values of pore size in the range 20-500 ?. Microporous beads of the resin may be carbonized into mesoporous carbon beads.

Abstract: Porous carbon is provided which is a carbonization and optionally an activation product of a precursor resin, which has a pore structure that, as estimated by nitrogen adsorption porosimetry, comprises micropores and mesopores/macropores, said micropores and mesopores/macropores being in a bimodal distribution with few pores of size 2-10 nm, and the mesopores/macropores providing escape routes for volatile products during carbonisation of the precursor resin. The porous carbon can be made by a method which comprises (a) forming a precursor resin by reacting a nucleophilic component which comprises a phenolic compound or a phenol condensation prepolymer optionally with one or more modifying reagents with an electrophilic cross-linking agent selected from formaldehyde, paraformaldehyde, furfural and hexamethylene tetramine in solution in a pore former e.g.

Abstract: A method of making mesoporous carbon beads comprises steps of providing a nucleophilic component such as phenolic compound or phenol condensation prepolymer, dissolving the nucleophilic component in a pore former, together with at least one electrophilic cross-linking agent such as formaldehyde, paraformaldehyde, furfural and hexamethylene tetramine, dispersing the resulting solution into a mineral oil to form beads, condensing both the component and the agent in the presence of the pore former to form beads of porous resin, removing the beads from the mineral oil and carbonizing the beads to form mesoporous carbon beads.

Abstract: A method is provided for making mesoporous resin. It comprises: (a) providing a nucleophilic component which comprises a phenolic compound or a phenol condensation prepolymer optionally with one or more modifying reagents selected from hydroquinone, resorcinol, urea, aromatic amines and heteroaromatic amines; (b) dissolving the nucleophilic component in a pore former selected from the group consisting of a diol, a diol ether, a cyclic ester, a substituted cyclic ester, a substituted linear amide, a substituted cyclic amide, an amino alcohol and a mixture of any of the above with water, together with at least one electrophilic cross-linking agent selected from the group consisting of formaldehyde, paraformaldehyde, furfural and hexamethylene tetramine; and (c) condensing the nucleophilic component and the electrophilic cross-linking agent in the presence of the pore former to form a porous resin. The resin may be formed in situ by pouring the partially cross-linked resin into hot oil.

Abstract: A method is provided for carbonizing and activating carbonaceous material, which comprises supplying the material to an externally fired rotary kiln maintained at carbonizing and activating temperatures, the kiln having a downward slope to progress the material as it rotates, the kiln having an atmosphere substantially free of oxygen provided by a counter-current of steam or carbon dioxide, and annular weirs being provided at intervals along the kiln to control progress of the material. There may further be provided an externally fired rotary kiln for carbonizing and activating carbonaceous material having a hollow rotary body that has a downward slope towards a discharge end thereof, and which is provided at intervals along its length with annular weirs for controlling progress of the carbonaceous material. In embodiments, there is also provided a process is for producing discrete solid beads of polymeric material e.g.

Abstract: A method is provided for making mesoporous resin. It comprises: (a) providing a nucleophilic component which comprises a phenolic compound or a phenol condensation prepolymer optionally with one or more modifying reagents selected from hydroquinone, resorcinol, urea, aromatic amines and heteroaromatic amines; (b) dissolving the nucleophilic component in a pore former selected from the group consisting of a diol, a diol ether, a cyclic ester, a substituted cyclic ester, a substituted linear amide, a substituted cyclic amide, an amino alcohol and a mixture of any of the above with water, together with at least one electrophilic cross-linking agent selected from the group consisting of formaldehyde, paraformaldehyde, furfural and hexamethylene tetramine; and (c) condensing the nucleophilic component and the electrophilic cross-linking agent in the presence of the pore former to form a porous resin. The resin may be formed in situ by pouring the partially cross-linked resin into hot oil.

Abstract: A method is provided for making mesoporous resin. It comprises: (a) providing a nucleophilic component which comprises a phenolic compound or a phenol condensation prepolymer optionally with one or more modifying reagents selected from hydroquinone, resorcinol, urea, aromatic amines and heteroaromatic amines; (b) dissolving the nucleophilic component in a pore former selected from the group consisting of a diol, a diol ether, a cyclic ester, a substituted cyclic ester, a substituted linear amide, a substituted cyclic amide, an amino alcohol and a mixture of any of the above with water, together with at least one electrophilic cross-linking agent selected from the group consisting of formaldehyde, paraformaldehyde, furfural and hexamethylene tetramine; and (c) condensing the nucleophilic component and the electrophilic cross-linking agent in the presence of the pore former to form a porous resin. The resin may be formed in situ by pouring the partially cross-linked resin into hot oil.

Abstract: An electrical heater element of controlled resistivity which can be used for a wide range of applications is formed from an electrically conductive synthetic porous carbon monolith.

Abstract: An improved filter element which can be used in gas masks is formed of short lengths of porous monolithic carbon formed by partially curing a phenolic resin to a solid, comminuting the partially cured resin, extruding the comminuted resin, sintering the extruded resin so as to produce a form-stable sintered product and carbonising and activating the form-stable sintered product.

Abstract: A regenerable adsorber for removing VOCs from gas streams consists of a porous monolithic carbon which can be regenerated by heating by passing an electric current through it.

Abstract: A regenerable adsorber for removing VOCs from gas streams consists of a porous monolithic carbon which can be regenerated by heating by passing an electric current through it.

Abstract: A porous resin which can be carbonised to a mesoporous carbon can be made by cross-linking a phenolformaldehyde pre-polymer in the presence of a pore former;, preferably ethylene glycol in an amount of at least 120 parts by weigh of ethylene glycol per 100 parts resin and carbonising the resin formed. The resin can be formed in situ by condensing a phenol with/without modifying agents with cross-linking agent by pouring the partially cross-linked resin into hot oil mesoporous resin beads are obtained which can be carbonised to mesoporous carbon beads.