Prospects for application of synchrotron radiation SAXS-WAXS in coal-based activated carbon research

Activated carbon is a kind of carbon material with excellent adsorption and catalytic properties. Coal is one of the main raw materials for the preparation of activated carbon. Coal-based activated carbon has large specific surface area, developed pores, abundant surface functional groups, high mechanical strength, and wide application. The skeleton and pores constitute the basic physical structure of coal-based activated carbon. Small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and wide angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) are powerful means to detect the structure of pore and skeleton of coal-based activated carbon, respectively. In this contribution, the basis of coal-based activated carbons is briefly introduced, and the application of synchrotron radiation SAXS-WAXS to monitor the structural change from coal to activated carbon is reviewed and prospected.