Effect of temperature and activators on the characteristics of activated carbon fibers prepared from viscose-rayon knitted fabrics

This study used viscose rayon-based knitted fabric, pre-treated by a composite flame retardant, as the precursor. The fabric then underwent oxidation, carbonization and activation in a semi-open high-temperature erect furnace to produce Activated Carbon Fabrics (ACF). The microstructure and chemical properties of the ACF were obtained under carbonization temperatures of 600-1000 A degrees C and by different activation sources. The results showed that the ACF produced was mainly of a microporous structure. When the carbonization temperature was increased, the production rate dropped while both the true density (D-He) and crystallization thickness increased. In addition, ACF prepared using steam, plus water as the activation source, has a larger specific surface area, greater crystallization thickness and a higher true density (D-He).