Activated charcoal is a non-graphite form of charcoal and is micro crystalline in nature. It is extensively used in various industries as a very good adsorbent for odour or colour. There are two varieties of activated charcoal viz gas phase or the liquid phase adsorbents. The liquid phase activated charcoal is usually powder or granular form whereas the gas phase adsorbent is hard granules like dust free pellets. The term activated charcoal or active charcoal is usually applied to amorphous charcoal possessing higher adsorption capacity their wood or animal charcoal.
Bamboo Charcoal is obtained from fragments of a bamboo botanical that is collected after it has grown for five years or more. Bamboo Charcoal undergoes the same process of Pyrolysis in order to become “activated.” Bamboo Charcoal can be categorized as either Raw Bamboo Charcoal or Bamboo Briquette Charcoal. Bamboo can be converted into charcoal and activated charcoal via carbonisation followed by activation. The carbonisation process is to enrich the carbon content and create an initial porosity, and the activation process helps in enhancing the pore structure. Carbonisation takes place in the temperature range of 300–400°C.
(1) Removing or improving the colour and flavour of edible materials, such as agar agar, beer, cider, wines whisky, vinegar, fruit juices, gelatin, pectin, and cocoa butter.
(2) Removing colour, odour grease and colloids from dry cleaning fluids such as naptha, gasoline, carbon tetrachloride, etc.
(3) Dephenolizing effluent gas works liquor.
(4) Removing oil and grease from boiler feed water and electroplating solutions.
(5) Recovering iodine from sea water, and bromine from brines.
The global activated carbon market is projected to reach USD 8.12 billion by 2021 at a CAGR of 9.4% while in terms of volume the overall market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 8.4% and reach 3,857.9 KT by 2021 led by powdered activated carbon. The growing use of activated carbon in industrial applications has led to an increase in its share in the gaseous phase applications, which is expected to drive the activated carbon market in the Asia-Pacific region. Moreover, the growing use of activated carbon for soil remediation applications, as well as in pharmaceutical applications have witnessed high growth during the last five years, and is further expected to boost the growth of the activated carbon market. However, the scarcity of raw material, especially in the Asia-Pacific region is a major factor restraining the growth of the activated carbon market globally.
Few Indian Major Players
1. Aksharchem (India) Ltd.
2. Bamboo Technology Park.
3. Core Carbons Pvt. Ltd.
4. Genuine Shell Carb Pvt. Ltd.
5. Gulbrandsen Catalysts Pvt. Ltd.
6. Indo German Carbons Ltd.
7. Jacobi Carbons India Pvt. Ltd.