Microwave heating as a novel method for introducing molecular sieve properties into activated carbon fibres

The microwave heating was used for introducing molecular sieve properties into activated carbon fibers (ACF). Acrylic textile fibers used as precursors for the production of the ACF and were manufactured from acrylonitrile (90 wt.%) and vinyl acetate (10 wt.%). During microwave treatment the carbon bed reached temperatures of 800-1000 °C after two min. heating. The results show that microwave heating could be a useful alternative to more commonly used methods for introducing molecular sieve properties into activated carbon adsorbents. One of the advantages of the microwave method is that, in the microwave furnace the carbon bed is uniformly heated throughout.