Sciencemadness Discussion Board

activated charcoal in chemical reaction

ahlok2002 - 17-2-2004 at 01:48

what is the general function of the activated charcoal in chemical reaction...particular in the inorganic synthesis of the reaction?

Mendeleev - 17-2-2004 at 07:43

That depends on the chemidal reaction, but generally activated charcoal is just very fine powdered charcoal. It is often used as a filter carbon being a reducing agent it simply filters out all the impurities in a liquid. But generally it just reduces the counterpart in the reaction. Thats why you take it for food poisoning, it really cleans it out of you, but it also gives you the runs.

thunderfvck - 17-2-2004 at 08:49

Actually activated charcoal is charcoal that's heated up to about 1200C (something like that), as a result the charcoal reassembles its internal structures. At this point it is now full of internal "mazes" that comprise a very large surface area, this substance is ideal for absorption. Anyway, like Mendeleev said, it's generally used to filter impurities. Notably stinky odours and color (the two have an affinity for the activated charcoal).

vulture - 17-2-2004 at 11:48

It is often used as a filter carbon being a reducing agent it simply filters out all the impurities in a liquid. But generally it just reduces the counterpart in the reaction. Thats why you take it for food poisoning, it really cleans it out of you, but it also gives you the runs.

Active carbon does not reduce stuff! It merely adsorps (not absorbs) it because of it's large surface error.

Mendeleev - 17-2-2004 at 12:54

Well I'll be damned, I knew about the surface area, but I must have been mistaken about the reducing area... Sorry...

[Edited on 18-2-2004 by Mendeleev]

thunderfvck - 17-2-2004 at 19:06

Oh ok! So there's a difference, adsorb and absorb. I didn't know that. Adsorb means that the surface of some substance attracts molecules and they get stuck to it. Absorb is not this. Yes. Excellent. Thanks for clearing that up.

Steeltesticle - 17-2-2004 at 21:20

Although they usualy cannot be concidered a reducing agent,In certain circumstances they can often be concidered a catalyst in a reduction.
Same as,for instance,palladium or iodine.

ahlok2002 - 18-2-2004 at 01:47

thanks!
actually i'm trying bind the hexaaminecobalt(III) with amino acid as ligands. as frist i refluxed hexaaminecobalt(III), amino acid, NaOH(to adjusted pH8++) without activated charcoal i could not get the colbalt(III) complex of amino acid.
but with the activated charcoal i can get the cobalt(III) compleX....

any comment? please guide me:D