Provided are: an activated carbon molded body which has a large pore volume and has the strength to allow a desired shape to be molded therefrom; and a method for manufacturing the same. This activated carbon molded body has a pore volume per molded body volume (cm.sup.3/cm.sup.3) obtained from the product of the total pore volume (cm.sup.3/g) of the activated carbon molded body and the molded body density (g/cm.sup.3) of 0.39 cm.sup.3/cm.sup.3 or greater, and a strength of 0.1 MPa or greater.

Provided are: an activated carbon molded body which has a large pore volume and has the strength to allow a desired shape to be molded therefrom; and a method for manufacturing the same. This activated carbon molded body has a pore volume per molded body volume (cm.sup.3/cm.sup.3) obtained from the product of the total pore volume (cm.sup.3/g) of the activated carbon molded body and the molded body density (g/cm.sup.3) of 0.39 cm.sup.3/cm.sup.3 or greater, and a strength of 0.1 MPa or greater.

Activated carbon particles A which are mechanochemically pre-treated under at least one inert gas, according to X-ray emission spectroscopy, are free of heavy metals and free of persistent organic pollutants (POP), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), fibrous fractions and meso- and macropores, have a carbon content >99 mol % and a particle size determined by electron microscopy in the range from 50 nm to 1000 nm or from 100 nm to 1000 nm, a mechanochemical process for their preparation and their use for the preparation of decorative and medical cosmetics and care products, medical products and pharmaceuticals, topical pharmaceuticals, medical products and cosmetics, preparation processes therefor and corresponding uses.

Activated carbon particles A which are mechanochemically pre-treated under at least one inert gas, according to X-ray emission spectroscopy, are free of heavy metals and free of persistent organic pollutants (POP), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), fibrous fractions and meso- and macropores, have a carbon content >99 mol % and a particle size determined by electron microscopy in the range from 50 nm to 1000 nm or from 100 nm to 1000 nm, a mechanochemical process for their preparation and their use for the preparation of decorative and medical cosmetics and care products, medical products and pharmaceuticals, topical pharmaceuticals, medical products and cosmetics, preparation processes therefor and corresponding uses.

Disclosed is an active carbon that includes micropores having a diameter of about 0.5 nm to about 0.8 nm in a content of about 70 vol % to about 90 vol % based on the total volume of the total pores, and has a nitrogen-containing functional group introduced on the surface thereof. Moreover, disclosed is a method for preparing active carbon. The method may include steps of: forming a reaction mixture including a carbon precursor, an alkali salt, and an organic compound including a nitrogen-containing functional group; and heating the reaction mixture to a temperature of about 800 C. to about 1000 C. in the presence of nitrogen gas.

An electrode in an energy storage device, including: an activated carbon, including: a surface area of from 1000 to 1700 m.sup.2/g; a pore volume from 0.3 to 0.6 cc/g; a chemically bonded oxygen content of 0.01 to 1.5 wt %; and a pH of from 7.5 to 10. Also disclosed is a method of making the activated carbon, the electrode, and the energy storage device.

A method produces activated carbon, suitable in particular for use in double-layer condensers. The method includes a) producing a mixture of a preferably pulverulent carbon material, a base and a hydrophilic polymer chemically inert to the base, b) pressing the mixture produced in step a) to form a pressing and c) activating the pressed body produced in step b).

An electrode in an energy storage device, including: an activated carbon, including: a surface area of from 1000 to 1700 m.sup.2/g; a pore volume from 0.3 to 0.6 cc/g; a chemically bonded oxygen content of 0.01 to 1.5 wt %; and a pH of from 7.5 to 10. Also disclosed is a method of making the activated carbon, the electrode, and the energy storage device.

Apparatus and methods for consolidating granular silicon and determining trace elements content of the consolidated silicon are disclosed. Silicon granules are placed in a vessel, and a silicon slug of known purity is embedded at least partially in the granules. The slug is preheated to a temperature sufficient to couple with an induction heater. As the silicon slug melts, silicon granules adjacent the molten silicon also melt. The vessel passes through an induction coil to successively inductively heat and melt regions of the silicon granules from the leading end to the trailing end with each region solidifying as the molten silicon exits the induction coil to provide a multicrystalline silicon ingot. The multicrystalline silicon ingot is sliced into wafers, which are analyzed by low-temperature Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy to determine levels of trace elements in the ingot.

A method of making activated carbon including: drying a carbon source having a volatile organic compound (VOC) content of 10 to 30 wt %, as defined herein; and milling the resulting dried carbon source to a powder. The method can further include a first heating of the resulting milled powder at from 200 to 450 C., for from 10 mins to 24 hrs. The method can further include making a mixture of the resulting first heated milled powder and an alkali metal hydroxide, and accomplishing a second heating of the milled powder and alkali metal hydroxide mixture, as defined herein.