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Published on: May 19, 2019
Zero-valent iron regulates hydrothermal carbonization pathways toward Fe-C interfacial hydrochar formation
Liangyan Jiang1, Jin Li1, Haiyan Li1
1State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, College of Chemical Engineering and Environment, China University of Petroleum-Beijing Beijing 102249 China yuxian.wang@cup.edu.cn wangqhqh@cup.edu.cn.
RSC Advances
|July 11, 2026
Summary
Zero-valent iron (Fe0) acts as a multifunctional regulator in hydrothermal carbonization (HTC), controlling carbonaceous material formation and creating unique iron-carbon interfaces for enhanced adsorption properties.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Green Chemistry
- Chemical Engineering
Background:
- Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) converts biomass into carbonaceous materials.
- Controlling HTC pathways, heteroatom incorporation, and metal-carbon interfaces is challenging.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate how zero-valent iron (Fe0) regulates HTC chemistry.
- To understand the formation of iron-carbon (Fe-C) interfacial architectures.
Main Methods:
- Utilized glucose and glycine as precursors under mild hydrothermal conditions.
- Employed solid- and liquid-phase analyses.
- Conducted adsorption experiments with cationic and anionic probes.
Main Results:
- Fe0 directed hydrothermal transformation, forming stable oxygen-containing moieties and pyridinic-N species.
- Fe3O4 nanophases were embedded within the carbon matrix via Fe-mediated dissolution-recrystallization.
- Fe0-regulated HTC increased surface area and created selective affinity for cationic species.
Conclusions:
- Fe0 acts as a multifunctional regulator in HTC, not just an additive.
- Mechanistic insights into Fe0-mediated HTC and Fe-C interfacial hydrochar formation were provided.
- Iron's role in redistributing C, N, and O during Fe-C interface formation was clarified.
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