Mohammed Kuku

Usually, a binder is added to activated carbon tablets to hold the particles together, such as starch. It reduces the specific area of ​​the activated carbon, taking up active sites for adsorption. Therefore, there is no need to use such activated carbon.

Yes, it's absolutely acceptable to use pharmacy-activated carbon (pills) to prepare composite materials in academic articles. In fact, exploring novel or readily available material sources, such as pharmaceutical-grade carbon, is a common practice in research. The crucial aspect is the scientific rigor with which the study is approached. This involves thoroughly characterizing the activated carbon from the pills, detailing properties like surface area, pore size distribution, and chemical composition. It's also essential to justify the choice of this type of carbon, whether for its cost, availability, or any specific characteristic that makes it interesting for the proposed application, such as its medical-grade purity.

Furthermore, for your research to be robust, you should consider the presence of potential additives or binders in the activated carbon pills, as these could influence the final composite material's properties. It's important that your study evaluates this impact and, if necessary, describes methods for purifying or pretreating the carbon. Comparing the performance of your composite with others made from more conventional activated carbon sources will also strengthen your findings, demonstrating the value and reproducibility of your approach.

Mohammed Kuku