Description

Charcoal is a lightweight, black residue, consisting of carbon and any remaining ash, obtained by removing water and other volatile constituents from animal and vegetation substances. Charcoal is usually produced by slow pyrolysis- the heating of wood or other substances in the absence of oxygen.


Types:

Common charcoal is made from peat, coal, wood, coconut shell, or petroleum.
Sugar charcoal is obtained from the carbonization of sugar and is particularly pure. It is purified by boiling with acids to remove any mineral matter and is then burned for a long time in a current of chlorine in order to remove the last traces of hydrogen. It was used by Henri Moissan in his early attempt to create synthetic diamonds.
Activated charcoal is similar to common charcoal but is made especially for medical use. To produce activated charcoal, manufacturers heat common charcoal in the presence of a gas that causes the charcoal to develop many internal spaces or "pores." These pores help activated charcoal trap chemicals.
Lump charcoal is a traditional charcoal made directly from hardwood material. It usually produces far less ash than briquettes.
Japanese charcoal has had pyroligneous acid removed during the charcoal making; it therefore produces almost no smell or smoke when burned. The traditional charcoal of Japan is classified into two Types:
White charcoal is very hard and produces a metallic sound when struck.
Black charcoal

A more recent type is of factory-made briquettes:

Ogatan is made from hardened sawdust. It is most often used in Izakaya or Yakiniku restaurants.
Pillow shaped briquettes are made by compressing charcoal, typically made from sawdust and other wood by-products, with a binder and other additives. The binder is usually starch. Briquettes may also include brown coal (heat source), mineral carbon (heat source), borax, sodium nitrate (ignition aid), limestone (ash-whitening agent), raw sawdust (ignition aid), and other additives.
Hexagonal sawdust briquette charcoal is made by compressing sawdust without binders or additives. Hexagonal Sawdust Briquette Charcoal is the preferred charcoal in Taiwan, Korea, Greece, and the Middle East. It has a round hole through the center, with a hexagonal intersection. It is used primarily for barbecue as it produces no odor, no smoke, little ash, high heat, and long burning hours (exceeding 4 hours).
Extruded charcoal is made by extruding either raw ground wood or carbonized wood into logs without the use of a binder. The heat and pressure of the extruding process hold the charcoal together. If the extrusion is made from raw wood material, the extruded logs are subsequently carbonized.