Hazelnut Shell vs Coconut Shell

Short answer

In pore structure and hardness the two are very close. The difference is not performance but supply: coconut shell is imported, while hazelnut shell piles up in the Black Sea region after every harvest.

Structure: why so similar?

Both are hard nut shells with high lignin content and dense cell walls. After activation both give a micropore-rich carbon that resists attrition.

The measurable expression of that is the iodine number: coconut carbons typically sit at 1000–1100 mg/g, and our hazelnut shell carbon is rated 1000 mg/g — the same band. More: iodine number explained.

Where the difference is

Supply and currency. Coconut shell comes from Southeast Asia; its price follows freight and exchange rates and lead times run into weeks. Hazelnut shell is a domestic residue — Türkiye generates 300,000–400,000 tonnes of it every year.

Sustainability. Hazelnut shell is a harvest residue; unused, it is burned or discarded. Turning it into activated carbon converts waste into a high-value industrial product.

Which should you choose?

If your requirement is defined by iodine number and methylene blue, hazelnut shell carbon is a direct substitute for coconut. Once lead time, currency exposure and local sourcing enter the decision, the balance tips clearly toward hazelnut shell.

Our products: granular (0–10 mm) and powdered (<150 µm). For the process see technology, for the feedstock see hazelnut shell activated carbon.