Holzkohle

BeschreibungThe first use of charcoal comes from the black pigment used in European cave paintings around 32 000 years ago. It is possible that the earliest use of charcoal as a fuel in the smelting of copper began over 7000 years ago. The first definite evidence of human involvement with charcoal as a fuel goes back to 5500 years ago in the Middle East and Southern Europe, when the Egyptians, who were expert metal workers, discovered the smelting of iron using charcoal.

VerwendenCharcoal has been used since the earliest times for several of purposes, including medicine and art, but by far its most important use has been as a metallurgical, cooking, industrial, and automotive fuel. Charcoal is used as a conventional fuel where an intense heat is wanted. Charcoal was also used historically as a source of carbon black in chemical reactions by grinding it up. In this form charcoal was a constituent of formulas for mixtures such as gunpowder and was important to early chemists. Due to its high surface area, charcoal can be used as a catalyst, a filter, or an adsorbent.