Apricot shell/peanut shell activated carbon

High-Density Fruit Stone Material For Filtration
Our Nutshell Activated Carbon is manufactured from high-quality fruit stones (such as apricot shells, peach stones, and walnut shells), sourced directly from the abundant agricultural resources of Northern China. This raw material is inherently dense and hard, providing a physical structure that rivals that of premium coconut activated charcoal. Through carbonization and physical activation, we develop a pore structure rich in both micropores and mesopores. This dual-porosity makes it exceptionally effective for adsorbing a wide range of organic contaminants. As one of the leading activated carbon manufacturers, we strictly control the activation temperature to ensure the material achieves a high Iodine Value, making it a reliable choice for industries requiring deep-bed filtration where mechanical stability is as important as chemical adsorption.

Mechanical Strength For Backwashing Systems
A defining characteristic of nutshell carbon is its superior abrasion resistance and hardness. In many water treatment applications, the filtration media is subjected to frequent backwashing cycles to remove trapped particulates. Softer carbons can attrition (break down) during this process, leading to media loss and increased turbidity. Our nutshell product acts as a durable water filter activated carbon, maintaining its granular integrity even under high hydraulic pressure. This longevity reduces the frequency of media replacement and lowers the total operational cost. For facility managers looking for a resilient media that performs similarly to coconut activated charcoal but with specific affinity for certain industrial oils and organics, our nutshell carbon is the engineered solution of choice.

Versatility In Water And Air Purification
While primarily utilized for activated charcoal water purification, the versatility of nutshell carbon extends to air phase applications due to its developed surface area. In water systems, it is highly effective at removing chlorine, phenols, and dissolved organic compounds (DOC) that affect taste and safety. Its capacity to handle complex organic molecules makes it suitable for treating industrial wastewater where variable contaminant loads are common. Inside our activated carbon plant, we process these granules into various mesh sizes (e.g., 8x30, 12x40) to suit different reactor designs, ensuring that whether for a municipal waterworks or a petrochemical effluent plant, the hydraulic flow and contact time are optimized for maximum purification efficiency.

Optimized Pore Structure For Micropollutants
The unique cellular structure of fruit stones creates a natural pathway for activation steam to penetrate, resulting in a highly accessible internal surface area. This structure is particularly adept at trapping low-molecular-weight organics and disinfection by-products. When used as a water filter activated carbon, it effectively polishes the effluent, ensuring compliance with strict environmental discharge limits. The material’s affinity for hydrophobic compounds also makes it excellent for removing trace oils from process water, a niche where it often outperforms general-purpose coal-based carbons due to its cleaner, lower-ash composition.

Advantages

Key Features of Nutshell Activated Carbon
Outstanding Adsorption Performance: Due to its developed pore structure and high specific surface area, it has high adsorption efficiency and large adsorption capacity for a variety of substances. Whether the adsorbate is in low or high concentration, it can be adsorbed quickly and effectively, achieving a good purification effect in a short time.
Renewable Raw Material: Fruit shells are a renewable resource, with wide sources and relatively low costs. Using fruit shells to produce activated carbon conforms to the concept of sustainable development and has environmental advantages compared with some activated carbons produced from non-renewable resources.
High Safety: During normal use, fruit shell activated carbon has stable chemical properties and does not cause secondary pollution. For example, in the applications in the drinking water and food industries, it will not introduce harmful substances, and the safety is guaranteed.
Selective Adsorption: It can conduct selective adsorption according to the molecular structure and properties of the adsorbate. By adjusting the pore structure and surface functional groups, it can achieve efficient adsorption of specific substances while reducing the adsorption of other substances, improving the pertinence and efficiency of adsorption.

Specific Parameters

• Iodine Value: Fruit shell activated carbon has a relatively high iodine value. The iodine value of coconut shell activated carbon is usually between 800 - 1200mg/g, that of walnut shell activated carbon is about 600 - 1000mg/g, and that of apricot shell activated carbon is between 700 - 900mg/g. The higher the iodine value, the stronger the adsorption capacity for small molecular substances, and it can effectively adsorb small molecular organic pollutants such as benzene and toluene.

• Particle Size: If it is in granular form, the particle size is generally around 0.5 - 2.0mm, with uniform particles, which is convenient for filling and use in adsorption equipment. If it is in powder form, most of it can pass through an 80 - 200 mesh sieve (with a particle diameter less than 0.18 - 0.075mm). The fine particle size helps it to disperse better in liquids or gases, increase the contact area, and improve the adsorption efficiency.

• Specific Surface Area: It has a relatively large specific surface area, usually ranging from 900 - 1500m²/g. The vast specific surface area provides abundant sites for adsorption, enabling it to adsorb a large number of impurities, pigments, odor substances, and harmful gases.

• pH Value: The pH value ranges roughly from 4 to 10. Within this range, it can adapt to a variety of different adsorption environments and will not cause significant interference to the acidity and alkalinity of the adsorption system.

• Strength (Applicable to Granular Form): For granular fruit shell activated carbon, strength is an important indicator. It has good mechanical strength, and the compressive strength can generally reach more than 80% - 95%. During the use process, such as when being impacted by air or liquid flows in an adsorption tower, it is not easy to break and can maintain a good granular form, ensuring the stability of the adsorption process.

Applications

Liquid-phase Adsorption

• Drinking Water Purification: In drinking water treatment, it can effectively remove residual chlorine, odors, and chromaticity in water, and also adsorb some heavy metal ions (such as mercury, lead, cadmium, etc.) and organic pollutants (such as pesticide residues, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, etc.), improving the safety and taste of drinking water.

• Sewage Treatment: It is used for the advanced treatment of industrial wastewater and domestic sewage, adsorbing harmful substances such as chemical oxygen demand (COD)-related substances, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) components, organic dyes, phenols, and cyanides in sewage, helping sewage to meet the emission standards or realize the reuse of reclaimed water.

• Food and Beverage Industry: In processes such as sugar production, winemaking, and fruit juice processing, it is used for decolorization, deodorization, and impurity removal. For example, when making sugar, it can adsorb pigments and impurities in sugar liquid to improve the quality of sugar. In winemaking and fruit juice processing, it can remove unpleasant odors and impurities to improve the flavor of products.

Gas-phase Adsorption

• Air Purification: It is used in indoor air purifiers and ventilation systems to adsorb harmful components in the air such as formaldehyde, benzene, TVOC (total volatile organic compounds), odors, and smoke, improving indoor air quality. It can also be used for industrial waste gas treatment to adsorb and purify harmful gases such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), hydrogen sulfide, and ammonia in waste gas.

• Gas Masks and Respiratory Protection Equipment: As an adsorbent filled in gas masks and respiratory protection equipment, it effectively adsorbs toxic and harmful gases to ensure the respiratory safety of users.

Sustainable Manufacturing And Quality Control
Sustainability is at the core of our operations. By utilizing agricultural by-products (fruit shells) that would otherwise be waste, we contribute to a circular economy. Our activated carbon plant operates under ISO9001 standards, ensuring that every batch of nutshell carbon is tested for key parameters such as hardness, moisture, and adsorption capacity before shipment. This rigorous quality assurance guarantees that the product performs consistently in the field. Unlike traders who might blend batches, our status as a direct manufacturer ensures traceability and purity, providing our B2B partners with the confidence that the media will protect their downstream equipment, such as Reverse Osmosis (RO) membranes, from fouling.

Characteristics

Physical Characteristics

• Appearance and Morphology: It appears as black granules or powder. Granular fruit shell activated carbon has a regular shape and a smooth surface, which is convenient for filling and operation. Powdered fruit shell activated carbon is fine in texture and can be better dispersed in liquids or gases to fully contact with the adsorbate.

• Pore Structure: It has abundant pores, including micropores, mesopores, and macropores. Micropores (with a pore diameter less than 2nm) are mainly used for adsorbing small molecular substances, such as some small organic molecular pollutants and gas molecules. Mesopores (with a pore diameter between 2 - 50nm) are helpful for the adsorption and diffusion of large molecular substances, such as some large molecular organic dyes. Macropores (with a pore diameter greater than 50nm) play a role in providing channels and reducing fluid resistance, enabling adsorbates to smoothly enter the internal pore network of the activated carbon to form a synergistic adsorption effect.

• Density Characteristics: The bulk density varies depending on the particle size and shape. The bulk density of granular fruit shell activated carbon is generally between 0.4 - 0.6g/cm³, and that of powdered fruit shell activated carbon is relatively small, ranging from 0.3 - 0.6g/cm³. The small bulk density makes it occupy less space during storage and transportation, and it is also easier to mix evenly with other substances when in use.

Chemical Characteristics

• Chemical Stability: Under general chemical environments, it has stable chemical properties and does not react with most common adsorbates. However, under the action of high temperature, strong oxidants (such as potassium permanganate, hydrogen peroxide, etc.), or strong acids and alkalis (such as concentrated sulfuric acid, concentrated sodium hydroxide, etc.), chemical reactions may occur, resulting in a decline in adsorption performance.

• Surface Functional Groups: Its surface has a certain number of functional groups, such as carboxyl groups (-COOH), hydroxyl groups (-OH), lactone groups, etc. These functional groups can form chemical bonds or hydrogen bonds with certain adsorbates, enhancing the adsorption effect. Meanwhile, the adsorption performance and selectivity of the activated carbon can also be adjusted by modifying these functional groups.

Product Parameters

Product Name Fruit Shell Activated Carbon Moisture ≤12%
Raw Materials of the Product Peach Shells, Apricot Shells, Wild Jujube Shells Ash Content ≤5%
Specific Surface Area 600 - 1200m²/g Strength >95%
Packaging Forms 25 kg, Jumbo Bag, Customizable pH 5 - 7
Specifications 4 - 8 mesh, 8 - 10 mesh, 10 - 20 mesh, 20 - 40 mesh, Customizable

Cost-Effective Alternative To Coconut Media
In the global market, supply fluctuations can affect the availability and price of coconut activated charcoal. Our nutshell carbon serves as a strategic and cost-effective alternative with comparable performance metrics in terms of hardness and microporosity. Being located near the raw material source allows us to maintain stable production costs. As experienced activated carbon manufacturers, we advise clients on when to switch to nutshell media to optimize their procurement budgets without compromising on the quality of activated charcoal water purification. This flexibility helps industrial clients maintain continuous operations even when global supply chains for other raw materials are constrained.

Call to Action
Upgrade your filtration system with our durable nutshell carbon media—contact our factory for a quote!

FAQ
Is nutshell carbon the same as coconut carbon?
No, they are different. Nutshell carbon is made from fruit stones (apricot/peach), while coconut activated charcoal is from coconut shells. However, both are high-density, high-hardness materials suitable for similar high-performance applications.

What is the primary use of nutshell activated carbon?
It is widely used for activated charcoal water purification, particularly for removing organics, chlorine, and trace oils, as well as for air purification and solvent recovery due to its hardness.

Can I use this as a replacement for water filter activated carbon?
Yes, our nutshell carbon is an excellent water filter activated carbon. It offers high abrasion resistance and adsorption capacity, making it a direct replacement for coal or coconut carbon in many filters.

Do you manufacture these products yourself?
Yes, we are legitimate activated carbon manufacturers with our own factory (plant) in Hebei, China, ensuring direct quality control and competitive pricing.

What mesh sizes are available?
We produce standard sizes like 8x30, 12x40, and 20x50 mesh. We can also customize the particle size distribution at our activated carbon plant to meet your specific pressure drop requirements.

About Us
Chengde Tianyuan Activated Carbon Co., Ltd., established in 2003, is a comprehensive activated carbon plant located in Pingquan, Hebei Province. We specialize in the R&D and production of a wide range of filtration media, including premium Nutshell, Coal-based, and Wood-based activated carbons. With an annual capacity of 8,800 tons, we serve as a versatile supplier to the global market, capable of delivering both coconut activated charcoal and high-quality fruit stone alternatives. Our facility holds ISO9001,  and we export to over 40 countries. We are dedicated to providing industrial clients with factory-direct solutions that optimize both performance and cost-efficiency in water and air treatment projects.