Functional Activated Biocarbons Based on Biomass Waste for CO₂ Capture and Heavy Metal Sorption

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Environmental Science
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Activated biocarbons offer a sustainable alternative for pollutant removal.
• Biomass and agricultural waste are abundant, low-cost precursors.
• Superheated water vapor activation is an eco-friendly method.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop inexpensive porous activated biocarbons from waste materials.
• To evaluate their performance in capturing carbon dioxide (CO2).
• To assess their efficacy in removing heavy metal ions from aqueous solutions.

Main Methods:

• Biomass and agricultural waste underwent thermal and hydrothermal carbonization.
• Activation was performed using superheated water vapor.
• Characterization included nitrogen adsorption, SEM, XRD, Raman, FTIR, and XRF analysis.

Main Results:

• Activated biocarbons exhibited high specific surface areas (240-709 m²/g) and pore volumes (0.12-0.43 cm³/g).
• Microporosity ranged from 89-92%, crucial for CO2 adsorption.
• Biocarbons from pine cones and birch showed high CO2 capture capacities (up to 6.43 mmol/g at 273 K) and stability over 30 cycles.
• Effective removal of heavy metals, especially lead and zinc, was demonstrated.

Conclusions:

• Inexpensive activated biocarbons derived from waste are effective for CO2 capture and heavy metal remediation.
• The materials exhibit excellent adsorption properties due to their microporous structure.
• These biocarbons represent a promising sustainable solution for environmental applications.