Customizing high-performance molten salt biochar from wood waste for CO2/N2 separation

Mingzhe Sun; Xiefei Zhu; Chunfei Wu; Ondrej Masek; Chi Hwa Wang; Jin Shang; Yong Sik Ok; Daniel C.W. Tsang

doi:10.1016/j.fuproc.2022.107319

Customizing high-performance molten salt biochar from wood waste for CO₂/N₂ separation

Mingzhe Sun, Xiefei Zhu, Chunfei Wu, Ondrej Masek, Chi Hwa Wang, Jin Shang, Yong Sik Ok, Daniel C.W. Tsang

Research output: Journal article publication › Journal article › Academic research › peer-review

31 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Engineered biochar derived from wood waste pyrolysis in molten salts were developed for effective CO₂/N₂ separation. The production conditions were customized to obtain the biochar with high CO₂ capture capacity and CO₂/N₂ selectivity by tuning the type of molten salts (MgCl₂-KCl, ZnCl₂-KCl, ZnCl₂-NaCl-KCl, and K₂CO₃-Na₂CO₃-Li₂CO₃), salt/feedstock ratios (1:1 and 3:1) and pyrolysis temperatures (600 and 800 °C). High temperature (800 °C) and moderate salt loading (salt/feedstock ratio of 1:1) benefited the CO₂ adsorption by providing an increased surface area and highly dispersed metal species as adsorption sites. PSL-3-800 and PSL-3-600 (K₂CO₃-Na₂CO₃-Li₂CO₃ biochar) showed the highest CO₂ capacity (4.5 mmol g⁻¹, 0 °C, 100 kPa) and the highest CO₂/N₂ selectivity (28.5), respectively, among the engineered biochar developed in this study. In addition, ZP-3-600 showed the highest selection parameter (S) in both PSA and VSA processes, indicating the promising CO₂ capture performance under PSA/VSA conditions. A high recovery rate (89%) of molten salts was achieved. These results suggest a new pathway for upcycling biowaste as eco-friendly and effective adsorbents for gas adsorption and separation.

Original language	English
Article number	107319
Journal	Fuel Processing Technology
Volume	234
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuproc.2022.107319
Publication status	Published - Sept 2022

Keywords

Biochar adsorbent
Biochar-mineral composite
Carbon sequestration
CO capture
PSA/VSA assessment
Waste recycling

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Chemical Engineering
Fuel Technology
Energy Engineering and Power Technology

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

More information

10.1016/j.fuproc.2022.107319

Cite this

@article{b3d170dd6e9a45cd8b56e9d6bfeb58d0,

title = "Customizing high-performance molten salt biochar from wood waste for CO2/N2 separation",

abstract = "Engineered biochar derived from wood waste pyrolysis in molten salts were developed for effective CO2/N2 separation. The production conditions were customized to obtain the biochar with high CO2 capture capacity and CO2/N2 selectivity by tuning the type of molten salts (MgCl2-KCl, ZnCl2-KCl, ZnCl2-NaCl-KCl, and K2CO3-Na2CO3-Li2CO3), salt/feedstock ratios (1:1 and 3:1) and pyrolysis temperatures (600 and 800 °C). High temperature (800 °C) and moderate salt loading (salt/feedstock ratio of 1:1) benefited the CO2 adsorption by providing an increased surface area and highly dispersed metal species as adsorption sites. PSL-3-800 and PSL-3-600 (K2CO3-Na2CO3-Li2CO3 biochar) showed the highest CO2 capacity (4.5 mmol g−1, 0 °C, 100 kPa) and the highest CO2/N2 selectivity (28.5), respectively, among the engineered biochar developed in this study. In addition, ZP-3-600 showed the highest selection parameter (S) in both PSA and VSA processes, indicating the promising CO2 capture performance under PSA/VSA conditions. A high recovery rate (89%) of molten salts was achieved. These results suggest a new pathway for upcycling biowaste as eco-friendly and effective adsorbents for gas adsorption and separation.",

keywords = "Biochar adsorbent, Biochar-mineral composite, Carbon sequestration, CO capture, PSA/VSA assessment, Waste recycling",

author = "Mingzhe Sun and Xiefei Zhu and Chunfei Wu and Ondrej Masek and Wang, {Chi Hwa} and Jin Shang and Ok, {Yong Sik} and Tsang, {Daniel C.W.}",

note = "Funding Information: We appreciate the financial support from the Hong Kong Environment and Conservation Fund (Project 104/2021 ) and Hong Kong Green Tech Fund ( GTF202020153 ) for this study. X.Z. thanks the funding of the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities ( WK2090000037 ) and the Hong Kong Scholar Program ( XJ2020022 ). We also acknowledge the equipment support provided by the University Research Facility in Chemical and Environmental Analysis (UCEA) of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University . Funding Information: We appreciate the financial support from the Hong Kong Environment and Conservation Fund (Project 104/2021) and Hong Kong Green Tech Fund (GTF202020153) for this study. X.Z. thanks the funding of the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (WK2090000037) and the Hong Kong Scholar Program (XJ2020022). We also acknowledge the equipment support provided by the University Research Facility in Chemical and Environmental Analysis (UCEA) of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022 Elsevier B.V.",

year = "2022",

month = sep,

doi = "10.1016/j.fuproc.2022.107319",

language = "English",

volume = "234",

journal = "Fuel Processing Technology",

issn = "0378-3820",

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T1 - Customizing high-performance molten salt biochar from wood waste for CO2/N2 separation

AU - Sun, Mingzhe

AU - Zhu, Xiefei

AU - Wu, Chunfei

AU - Masek, Ondrej

AU - Wang, Chi Hwa

AU - Shang, Jin

AU - Ok, Yong Sik

AU - Tsang, Daniel C.W.

N1 - Funding Information: We appreciate the financial support from the Hong Kong Environment and Conservation Fund (Project 104/2021 ) and Hong Kong Green Tech Fund ( GTF202020153 ) for this study. X.Z. thanks the funding of the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities ( WK2090000037 ) and the Hong Kong Scholar Program ( XJ2020022 ). We also acknowledge the equipment support provided by the University Research Facility in Chemical and Environmental Analysis (UCEA) of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University . Funding Information: We appreciate the financial support from the Hong Kong Environment and Conservation Fund (Project 104/2021) and Hong Kong Green Tech Fund (GTF202020153) for this study. X.Z. thanks the funding of the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (WK2090000037) and the Hong Kong Scholar Program (XJ2020022). We also acknowledge the equipment support provided by the University Research Facility in Chemical and Environmental Analysis (UCEA) of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Publisher Copyright: © 2022 Elsevier B.V.

PY - 2022/9

Y1 - 2022/9

N2 - Engineered biochar derived from wood waste pyrolysis in molten salts were developed for effective CO2/N2 separation. The production conditions were customized to obtain the biochar with high CO2 capture capacity and CO2/N2 selectivity by tuning the type of molten salts (MgCl2-KCl, ZnCl2-KCl, ZnCl2-NaCl-KCl, and K2CO3-Na2CO3-Li2CO3), salt/feedstock ratios (1:1 and 3:1) and pyrolysis temperatures (600 and 800 °C). High temperature (800 °C) and moderate salt loading (salt/feedstock ratio of 1:1) benefited the CO2 adsorption by providing an increased surface area and highly dispersed metal species as adsorption sites. PSL-3-800 and PSL-3-600 (K2CO3-Na2CO3-Li2CO3 biochar) showed the highest CO2 capacity (4.5 mmol g−1, 0 °C, 100 kPa) and the highest CO2/N2 selectivity (28.5), respectively, among the engineered biochar developed in this study. In addition, ZP-3-600 showed the highest selection parameter (S) in both PSA and VSA processes, indicating the promising CO2 capture performance under PSA/VSA conditions. A high recovery rate (89%) of molten salts was achieved. These results suggest a new pathway for upcycling biowaste as eco-friendly and effective adsorbents for gas adsorption and separation.

AB - Engineered biochar derived from wood waste pyrolysis in molten salts were developed for effective CO2/N2 separation. The production conditions were customized to obtain the biochar with high CO2 capture capacity and CO2/N2 selectivity by tuning the type of molten salts (MgCl2-KCl, ZnCl2-KCl, ZnCl2-NaCl-KCl, and K2CO3-Na2CO3-Li2CO3), salt/feedstock ratios (1:1 and 3:1) and pyrolysis temperatures (600 and 800 °C). High temperature (800 °C) and moderate salt loading (salt/feedstock ratio of 1:1) benefited the CO2 adsorption by providing an increased surface area and highly dispersed metal species as adsorption sites. PSL-3-800 and PSL-3-600 (K2CO3-Na2CO3-Li2CO3 biochar) showed the highest CO2 capacity (4.5 mmol g−1, 0 °C, 100 kPa) and the highest CO2/N2 selectivity (28.5), respectively, among the engineered biochar developed in this study. In addition, ZP-3-600 showed the highest selection parameter (S) in both PSA and VSA processes, indicating the promising CO2 capture performance under PSA/VSA conditions. A high recovery rate (89%) of molten salts was achieved. These results suggest a new pathway for upcycling biowaste as eco-friendly and effective adsorbents for gas adsorption and separation.

KW - Biochar adsorbent

KW - Biochar-mineral composite

KW - Carbon sequestration

KW - CO capture

KW - PSA/VSA assessment

KW - Waste recycling

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