Absorb - absorption is the process that occurs when a gas or liquid diffuses into a solid or another liquid. A good example is using a towel to dry off – the water molecules are temporarily diffused into the material of the towel.
Activated Bamboo Charcoal – activated bamboo charcoal is bamboo charcoal that has been taken through an extra step to greatly increase its absorptive abilities. Bamboo charcoal is granulated and injected with high pressure steam, which exposes more of the tiny cracks and crevices inside the charcoal. The surface area to mass ratio of the bamboo charcoal can more than double after activation.
Adsorb - adsorption is the process that occurs when a gas or liquid accumulates on the surface of another solid or a liquid. When one substance adsorbs another, it is actually attracting that substance to it, and that substance clings to its surface. A good example to think of is electrostatically charged dusters, which attract dust particles to their surface. The dust particles are attracted to and stick to the surface of the duster.
Bamboo - bamboo is a type of grass that is grown all over the world. Contrary to popular belief, bamboo is not a tree. Bamboo is the fastest growing woody plant in the world. Borim uses a special species of bamboo indigenous to the southern Korean peninsula that benefits from the clean ocean air and absorbs various minerals such as calcium, potassium, and magnesium into the plant.
Bamboo Charcoal – bamboo charcoal is charcoal made from the bamboo plant. Because of the fast growing nature of bamboo, it is much more sustainable to use bamboo for charcoal than old growth trees like oak. To read more about the amazing benefits of bamboo charcoal, please read our What is Bamboo Charcoal page.
Buckyball – A recently discovered molecule and a form of pure carbon, known as C60, that is created when wood is turned into charcoal. The buckyball is shaped like a soccer ball, and because of the spherical and geodesic shape, it is very strong for its weight. The existence of buckyballs in charcoal is theorized as one of the main reasons for the wonderful properties to attract and absorb many different chemicals and substances.
Carbonize – Carbonization is the process of converting an organic substance into pure carbon. Most fossil fuels (such as petroleum and natural gas) are the products of the carbonization of vegetable matter. Wood is turned into charcoal through carbonization in a process called pyrolysis.
Charcoal - charcoal is created by a special heating process called pyrolysis that removes non-carbon material from animal or plant matter. This is done by heating a kiln full of material to a certain temperature and then cutting off the oxygen supply. The water and volatile organic compounds are removed from the material, leaving mostly carbon.
Kiln – A kiln is a type of oven that can be sealed off to prevent oxygen from entering or escaping. Kilns are used for many purposes, such as drying wood or tobacco leaves, smelting ore, and creating charcoal. Borim uses state of the art technology in their kilns to create bamboo charcoal.
Negative Ions – an atom or molecule that has more electrons than protons in its nucleus. Ions, both negative and positive, are naturally occurring in the environment. Negative ions offer many health benefits, while positive ions can take them away. It is very important to have a balanced level of ions, or a surplus of negative ions, as having more positive ions than negative can lead to stress, anxiety, and depression. Air conditioners and electronics around our homes and offices release positive ions and absorb negative ions. Bamboo charcoal release negative ions into our environments, helping bring the ion levels back into balance.
Pyrolysis – pyrolysis is the chemical process that describes how charcoal is created. Pyrolysis is the method of breaking an organic compound down to its constituent components by heating it in the absence of oxygen. In extreme conditions of high heat, this will turn wood into charcoal in a process known as carbonization.
Radon – Radon is a colorless, naturally occurring, radioactive noble gas that is formed from the decay of the metal radium, which is naturally occurring across the United States. Radon is the 2nd leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S., after cigarette smoking. As radium decays, radon gas is released and finds its way into the basements of houses all across America. Borim Bamboo Charcoal in the basement can help to mitigate radon gas concentration levels.
Sick House Syndrome (SHS) – SHS, also known as Sick Building Syndrome, is a manifestation of poor indoor air quality that can impact both new and existing homes. Whether from outgassing of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) from new construction or poor ventilation, SHS can contribute or cause many common ailments such as headaches, nausea, allergies, and fatigue. Mitigation of SHS can be costly, ongoing, and time consuming, but bamboo charcoal distributed throughout the house can absorb these harmful gases and chemicals and lessen the impact.
van der Waals Force – a force that refers to the attractive or repulsive forces between molecules. The van der Waals force is theorized to be evident in charcoal and describes how it is such an attractive substance.
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)– VOCs are organic chemical compounds that under certain conditions vaporize and enter the atmosphere. There are many different types of VOCs, but they are generally considered to be harmful to the environment both indoors and outdoors. A common example is house paint. That “fresh paint smell” is actually partially caused by the release of VOCs as the paint dries. These are harmful substances that you do not want to breathe in. A similar example is the “new car smell.” This outgassing of VOCs into new homes by the paint, carpet, and other construction materials is a significant contributor to the “Sick House Syndrome.”
