Soluble activated charcoal

Reduction of activated charcoal by lithium in liquid ammonia yields charcoal salts that can be reacted with dodecyl iodide to yield soluble dodecylated activated charcoal. Atomic force microscopy images reveal a heterogeneous size distribution of nearly spherical nanoparticles. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy images show a layered microcrystalline arrangement that becomes separated to form mostly single layered disordered structures after dodecylation. A H-1-C-13 cross polarization magic angle spinning spectrum of the charcoal revealed a broad, featureless signal from sp(2) carbons and a much weaker broad signal from aliphatic carbons. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.