Does carbon expire?

[Scottayy]

I have a tub of carbon that I bought probably 10 years ago and only used less than a fourth of it.

The outside is yellowed and looks old, but it's been sealed and the carbon looks super black and fresh.

Is this still good to use?

I can get more, but I don't want to be wasteful if it's still good.

 

[SlugSnorter]

I have a tub of carbon that I bought probably 10 years ago and only used less than a fourth of it.

The outside is yellowed and looks old, but it's been sealed and the carbon looks super black and fresh.

Is this still good to use?

I can get more, but I don't want to be wasteful if it's still good.

yeah, its carbon doesn't really spoil unless left unsealed, nothing eats it, so even if its spoiled it just means it doesn't do anything. Maybe better to get something knew but its up to you.

 

[ShakerBreaker]

AS long as it's stored properly, so it doesn't absorb anything out of the air, I don't see why it would go bad. If its an open container . . . I wouldn't risk it, even if you resealed it.

 

[LeftyReefer]

Just be sure to rinse it good. being old, it may have gotten bounced around a bit and may have a little extra dust/particles in it.

 

[BostonReefer300]

Activated carbon that's stored in a relatively air-tight container does not go bad. Even if it's stored in open air, it would take a long time to get exhausted unless the ambient air was very dirty/polluted. Activated carbon works by adsorbing certain types of molecules onto its surface. (It's called "activated" because the carbon was subjected to a process to create many small pores in its structure which dramatically increases the carbon's surface area.). HTH