Process for the production of carbon molecular sieves

Claim 1

In a process for the production of carbon molecular sieves, including the steps of subjecting a vinylidene chloride copolymer to carbonization conditions for the removal of its chlorine component as hydrogen chloride, pulverizing the resulting product to a grain size of 100 mesh or finer, admixing the pulverized product with a carbonaceous sintering agent and an organic binder to obtain a mixture, pelletizing the mixture, and carbonizing the resulting pellets, the improvement comprising: said admixing step, wherein said sintering agent includes a carbonaceous material derived from petroleum or coal and capable of forming a high-strength coke upon carbonization, is used in an amount of 10 to 14% based on the weight of said pulverized product and is a member selected from the group consisting of coal tar pitch, petroleum pitch and coking coal, and said organic binder is used in an amount of from 10 to 15% based on the weight of said pulverized product and includes a tenacious organic substance capable of being partially gasified when heated, with the remaining ungasified components being carbonized, and is selected from microcrystalline cellulose, a liquid resin, waste molasses and a sulfite pulp waste liquor, and said step of carbonizing said pellets, wherein said pellets are heated to a temperature in the range of 750° to 1000° C. at a heating rate of 5° to 7° C./min and then maintained at that temperature for 30 to 90 min; said molecular sieve having at least 80% of its total pore volume in pores with diameters of 4 to 4.3 A.