The invention relates a process for preparing a microporous carbon material comprising the following steps: i) providing a cross-linked polymer obtainable by reacting either A1) a maltodextrin deriving from starch comprising amylose in the range from 25 to 50% expressed as dry weight relative to the dry weight of the starch or A2) a cyclodextrin with an organic aromatic dianhydride in a mass ratio of either maltodextrin or cyclodextrin with respect to the organic aromatic dianhydride in the range of 1:0.50 to 1:2, ii) pyrolyzing at a range from 700 to 900 C. with a heating ramp in the range from 5 C./min to 30 C./min in a inert gas flux; and iii) cooling the obtained residue. The microporous carbon material obtainable by the process of the invention consists of micropores having pore size distribution in the range from about 6 to about 16 and is used as absorber for liquids and gases.

Mesoporous activated carbon having a mesopore structure of at least about 10%. In at least some embodiments, the activated carbon may be coconut shell-based. The enhanced activated carbon may have an intraparticle diffusion constant of at least about 40 mg/g/hr.sup.1/2.

Mesoporous activated carbon having a mesopore structure of at least about 10%. In at least some embodiments, the activated carbon may be coconut shell-based. The enhanced activated carbon may have an intraparticle diffusion constant of at least about 40 mg/g/hr.sup.1/2.

A process for synthesizing a carbon molecular sieve and an activated carbon from expanded polystyrene is provided. The process includes sulfonating the expanded polystyrene with sulfuric acid in the presence of chlorobenzene, to obtain sulfonated polystyrene; carbonizing the sulfonated polystyrene to obtain a carbon molecular sieve (CMS) with a substantially high degree of porosity, and activating the CMS by an activating agent to obtain activated carbon. A low temperature of, for example, about 50 degrees Celsius, is employed for sulfonating the expanded polystyrene. Heating and cooling operations in the steps of synthesizing the CMS are performed under a nitrogen gas atmosphere.

A process for synthesizing a carbon molecular sieve and an activated carbon from expanded polystyrene is provided. The process includes sulfonating the expanded polystyrene with sulfuric acid in the presence of chlorobenzene, to obtain sulfonated polystyrene; carbonizing the sulfonated polystyrene to obtain a carbon molecular sieve (CMS) with a substantially high degree of porosity, and activating the CMS by an activating agent to obtain activated carbon. A low temperature of, for example, about 50 degrees Celsius, is employed for sulfonating the expanded polystyrene. Heating and cooling operations in the steps of synthesizing the CMS are performed under a nitrogen gas atmosphere.

Embodiments provide a methane microporous carbon adsorbent including a thermally-treated CVD carbon having a shape in the form of a negative replica of a crystalline zeolite has a BET specific surface area, a micropore volume, a micropore to mesopore volume ratio, a stored methane value and a methane delivered value and a sequential carbon synthesis method for forming the methane microporous carbon adsorbent. Introducing an organic precursor gas for a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) period to a crystalline zeolite that is maintained at a CVD temperature forms the carbon-zeolite composite. Introducing a non-reactive gas for a thermal treatment period to the carbon-zeolite composite maintained at a thermal treatment temperature forms the thermally-treated carbon-zeolite composite. Introducing an aqueous strong mineral acid mixture to the thermally-treated carbon-zeolite composite forms the methane microporous carbon adsorbent.

Embodiments provide a methane microporous carbon adsorbent including a thermally-treated CVD carbon having a shape in the form of a negative replica of a crystalline zeolite has a BET specific surface area, a micropore volume, a micropore to mesopore volume ratio, a stored methane value and a methane delivered value and a sequential carbon synthesis method for forming the methane microporous carbon adsorbent. Introducing an organic precursor gas for a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) period to a crystalline zeolite that is maintained at a CVD temperature forms the carbon-zeolite composite. Introducing a non-reactive gas for a thermal treatment period to the carbon-zeolite composite maintained at a thermal treatment temperature forms the thermally-treated carbon-zeolite composite. Introducing an aqueous strong mineral acid mixture to the thermally-treated carbon-zeolite composite forms the methane microporous carbon adsorbent. The crystalline zeolite includes tri-ethanolamine (TEA) and has a shape that is orthogonal with a mid-edge length in a range of 8 m to 20 m.

Novel carbon molecular sieve (CMS) compositions comprising carbonized vinylidene chloride copolymer having micropores with an average micropore size ranging from 3.0 to 5.0. These materials offer capability in separations of gas mixtures including, for example, propane/propylene; nitrogen/methane; and ethane/ethylene. Such may be prepared by a process wherein vinylidene chloride copolymer beads, melt extruded film or fiber are pretreated to form a precursor that is finally carbonized at high temperature. Preselection or knowledge of precursor crystallinity and attained maximum pyrolysis temperature enables preselection or knowledge of a average micropore size, according to the equation ?=6.09+(0.0275C)(0.00233T), wherein ? is the average micropore size in Angstroms, C is the crystallinity percentage and T is the attained maximum pyrolysis temperature in degrees Celsius, provided that crystallinity percentage ranges from 25 to 75 and temperature in degrees Celsius ranges from 800 to 1700. The beads, fibers or film may be ground, post-pyrolysis, and combined with a non-coating binder to form extruded pellets, or alternatively the fibers may be woven, either before or after pre-treatment, to form a woven fiber sheet which is thereafter pyrolyzed to form a woven fiber adsorbent.

Provided are a carbon catalyst, an electrode, and a battery that exhibit excellent activity. A carbon catalyst according to one embodiment of the present invention has a carbon structure in which area ratios of three peaks f.sub.broad, f.sub.middle, and f.sub.narrow obtained by separating a peak in the vicinity of a diffraction angle of 26 in an X-ray diffraction pattern obtained by powder X-ray diffraction satisfy the following conditions (a) to (c): (a) f.sub.broad: 75% or more and 96% or less; (b) f.sub.middle: 3.2% or more and 15% or less; and (c) f.sub.narrow: 0.4% or more and 15% or less.

A process for reducing coke formation during hydrocarbon upgrading reactions using a double-wall reactor comprising the steps of feeding a heated feed water to a shell-side volume of the double-wall reactor to produce a heat transfer stream, the double-wall reactor comprising an exterior wall and an interior wall, a reaction section volume, a heating element configured to heat the heat transfer stream, wherein heat is transferred from the heat transfer stream to the reaction section volume, feeding the hot water return exiting the shell-side volume through a filter; mixing the filtered water stream with a heated hydrocarbon feedstock; feeding the mixed stream to the reaction section volume in a configuration counter-current to the heat transfer stream; reacting the reaction flow stream at a reaction temperature, wherein the heat transferred to the reaction section volume is operable to maintain the reaction temperature above the critical temperature of water.