Revolutionizing carbon materials: Engineered biochar for a greener future

In a significant stride towards sustainable energy and environmental management, a team of researchers from The University of Western Australia and Nanjing Forestry University have shed light on the emerging role of engineered biochar in their recent study titled "Emerging Engineered Biochar for Environmental and Energy Applications," published in the Journal of Bioresources and Bioproducts. The study underscores the urgency of developing alternative energy resources amidst growing concerns over global energy security and environmental sustainability.

Biomass, as a renewable resource, is being upcycled into advanced carbon materials through thermochemical processes, such as pyrolysis, hydrothermal carbonisation (HTC), and gasification. These processes not only offer a solution to biomass waste management but also contribute to the development of a low-carbon, circular economy. The researchers highlight the versatility of biochar, which is easily available and has a stable, porous structure, making it ideal for environmental remediation, such as soil amendment and water purification, as well as energy storage and conversion applications like supercapacitors and batteries.

The study also discusses various modification strategies for biochar, including chemical and physical activation techniques, and heteroatom doping to enhance its properties for specific applications. The integration of biochar with other functional materials, such as metallic compounds, is identified as a promising approach to improve its physicochemical properties further.

Despite the promising potential of biochar, the researchers identify several challenges that need to be addressed for its reliable application in future technologies. These include the complex composition of biomass, the need for standardized preparation and modification protocols, and the lack of a comprehensive database to understand the correlations between biomass feedstock and biochar performance. The study suggests that machine learning could be a powerful tool for screening large datasets and predicting material properties, but the need for an open database with a standardized format is a limiting factor.

The researchers call for the development of reliable and environmentally friendly techniques for large-scale biochar production, emphasizing the need to balance economic feasibility and environmental risks. They stress the importance of considering the long-term environmental impacts of biochar materials and the need for national and international collaboration to support the industrial application of biochar.

See the article:

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobab.2024.11.004.

Original Source URL

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2369969824000781

Journal

Journal of Bioresources and Bioproducts