HIGHLY-FUNCTIONALIZED CARBON MATERIALS FOR THE REMOVAL OF INORGANIC AND ORGANIC CONTAMINANTS

A carbon material for contaminant removal performance. The carbon material having an equilibrium pH (pHeq) between about 1.5 and about 9, a total acidic functionality (TAF) between about 0.8 and about 3 mequiv./g-C and a cation sorption capacity of greater than about 70 cmmol/kg-C. The carbon material identified by determining an pHeq of the carbon material contacted with an electrolyte solution. The carbon material identified by quantifying TAF by acid-base titrations. The carbon material identified by generating a proton binding curve from the acid-base titrations. The carbon material identified by integrating the calculated f(pK) distribution from the proton binding curve. The carbon material identified by determining equilibrium isotherms and converting the data into a cation sorption capacity. The carbon material identified by comparing the cation sorptive capacity of the carbon material to a predetermined range of cation sorptive capacity to identify the carbon material.