Patent ID: 8555896

Claim:
A method of forming activated carbon from microcrystalline cellulose beads comprising: mixing microcrystalline cellulose powder, water and one or more of H 2 SO 4 , H 3 PO 4 or ZnCl 2 , wherein a weight ratio of microcrystalline cellulose powder to water is in a range of about 30-70 weight % microcrystalline cellulose powder to about 30-70 weight % water; forming cylindrical extrudates from the microcrystalline cellulose powder and water using an extruder; forming spherical beads from the cylindrical extrudates using a spheronizer; drying the beads; carbonizing the microcrystalline cellulose beads to form carbonized microcrystalline cellulose; and activating the carbonized microcrystalline cellulose to form activated carbon having pores therein with a majority of the pores less than 30 Å.