Supelco^® Carbon Adsorbent Selection Guide

In addition to the tables below that list general guidelines, physical characteristics of Supelco^® carbon adsorbents and adsorbent cross-reference, view the report A Tool for Selecting an Adsorbent for Thermal Desorption Applications, which highlights the relative differences among the most commonly used adsorbents with the help of color-coded performance charts.

General Guidelines for Choosing Supelco^® Carbon Adsorbents

For multi-bed tubes, use the weaker adsorbent in front of the stronger adsorbent. For example, use Carbopack™ C adsorbent in front of Carbopack™ B adsorbent.

Relative Analyte Size (1)	Recommended Materials (listed weakest to strongest)
C20	Carbotrap® F, Carbopack™ F
C12-C20	Carbotrap® C, Carbopack™ C, Carbotrap® Y, Carbopack™ Y
C5-C12	Carbotrap® B, Carbopack™ B
C3-C9	Carboxen® 1016, Carbotrap® X, Carbopack™ X, Carbopack™ Z
C2-C5	Carboxen® 569, Carbosieve® G, Carboxen® 1000, Carbosieve® S-III, Carboxen® 1021, Carboxen® 1018, Carboxen® 1003, Carboxen® 1012
(1) Analyte size relative to n-alkanes. Consider all atoms, not just carbon. For example, even though 1,2-dichloroethane is a C2, the two chlorine atoms give it a relative size between C4 and C5.

Physical Characteristics of Supelco® Carbon Adsorbents

sorbent	BET surface area1 (m2/g)	Density (g/mL)	Porosity (cc/g)			Micropore Diameter (Å)
			micro-	meso-	macro-
Carbotrap® graphitized carbon black (20/40 mesh )
Carbotrap® F	5	0.69	-	-	-	-
Carbotrap® C	10	0.68	-	-	-	-
Carbotrap® Y	24	0.45	-	-	-	-
Carbotrap® B	100	0.37	-	-	-	-
Carbotrap® X	240	0.43	-	0.62	-	100
Carbopack™ graphitized carbon black (60/80 mesh)
Carbopack™ F	5	0.64	-	-	-	-
Carbopack™ C	10	0.68	-	-	-	-
Carbopack™ Y	24	0.42	-	-	-	-
Carbopack™ B	100	0.35	-	-	-	-
Carbopack™ Z	220	0.18	-	1.73	-	255
Carbopack™ X	240	0.41	-	0.62	-	100
Carbon Molecular Sieve
Carboxen®-1016	75	0.40	-	0.34	-	-
Carboxen®-569	485	0.58	0.20	0.14	0.10	5 - 8
Carboxen®- 10212	600	0.62	0.30	-	-	5 - 8
Carboxen®-10182	675	0.60	0.35	-	-	6 - 8
Carbosieve® S-III3	975	0.61	0.35	0.04	-	4 - 11
Carboxen®-1003	1000	0.46	0.38	0.26	0.28	5 - 8
Carbosieve® G	1160	-	0.49	0.02	-	6 - 15
Carboxen®-1000	1200	0.48	0.44	0.16	0.25	10 - 12
Carboxen®-1012	1500	0.50	-	0.66	-	19 - 21
1 Brunauer, Emmett, Teller (BET) surface area calculations 2 microporous, monoporous carbon sieve 3 closed pore structure

Adsorbent Cross Reference

Adsorbent	Supelco® Equivalent or Substitute
Ambersorb® 347	Carboxen® 564
Anasorb C300	Hopcalite
Anasorb CMS	Carboxen® 564, Carboxen® 1000, Carbosieve® S-III
Anasorb CSC	Coconut charcoal
Anasorb GCB1	Carbopack™ B, Carbotrap® B
Anasorb GCB2	Carbopack™ C, Carbotrap® C
Anasorb 708	Chromosorb® 108
Anasorb 727	XAD-4
Anasorb 747	Carboxen® 564, Carboxen® 1000, Carbosieve® S-III
Carbograph 1	Carbopack™ B, Carbotrap® B
Carbograph 2	Carbopack™ C, Carbotrap® C
Carbosphere	Carboxen® 1000
Graphpac-GC	Carbopack™ B, Carbotrap® B, Carbopack™ C Carbotrap® C
Hydrar	Hopcalite
Purosieve	Carboxen® 1000
Spherocarb	Carboxen® 1000
Tenax® GC	Tenax® TA