Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery最新文献

The reasonable utilization of waste biomass can contribute to the energy system. In this study, waste melon-seed shells were used as raw materials to prepare porous biochar (MSB) as the support skeleton and thermal conductive additive for stearic acid (SA), thereby improving the thermal conductivity of the SA and solving the issue of their melting leakage. Melon-seed shell biochar-based composite phase change materials (MSB-PCMs) were prepared through melt blending and compression molding. The research shows that MSB, synthesized at a pyrolysis temperature of 600 °C, exhibited a three-dimensional porous structure along with two-dimensional sheet-like morphology which facilitated additional heat transfer pathways within SA. When incorporating 25 wt% of MSB into the SA (MSB-PCM5), the thermal conductivity was significantly enhanced in the resulting MSB-PCM5 by up to 287.22%. Moreover, the phase change process remained leak-free without deformation, and the latent heat value only deviated from theoretical values by a margin of 0.88%. Heat response tests demonstrated that heating and cooling times for MSB-PCMs outperformed those for pure SA; specifically, a reduction in heating time by 19.5% and cooling time by 31.77% was observed for MSB-PCM5. Comprehensive evaluation after subjecting them to 200 cycles of melting-solidification tests indicated excellent shape stability and thermal performance for MSB-PCMs. Therefore, porous biochar, as a supporting skeleton and thermal conductivity additive of phase change materials, has great potential in phase change energy storage applications.

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The discharge of discarded organic phases often carries the risk of polluting the environment. The recycling and utilization of organic phases can reduce the negative impact on the environment and the consumption of natural resources. This manuscript reports a method for preparing biomass porous carbon using discarded mungbean pods and applying it to capacitive deionization (CDI) technology for organic phase regeneration. During the preparation process, porous carbon was prepared using potassium carbonate as an activator, NaCl/KCl mixed salt as a template and flux, and dopamine as a nitrogen source. The biomass-graded porous carbon prepared has a high specific surface area (2862.36 m² g⁻¹), rich pore structure, and good electrochemical performance (specific capacitance of 480.5 F g⁻¹ at a current density of 1A g⁻¹), making it suitable for ion adsorption and desorption processes in CDI technology. The CDI regeneration extraction organic phase experiment verified that the extraction ability of the regenerated extracted organic phase of the material in the extraction experiment can reach 99.6% of that of the fresh extractant. The results indicate that biomass-graded porous carbon has high ion adsorption capacity and good regeneration performance, which can achieve the recycling of organic phase.

This study examines the mechanical properties, characterization studies, wear, and absorption tests of hybrid polymer composites reinforced with Aloe vera and ramie fibres. The hybrid composites were manufactured using a hot press compression moulding machine at 110 °C and 1500 PSI. During composite production, Aloe vera and ramie fibres of varying lengths (10 mm, 15 mm, 20 mm, and 25 mm) and weight percentages (10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, and 50%) were used to fabricate 20 composite samples. To improve the interfacial bonding between the two fibres and epoxy matrix and to attain highest mechanical strength for the medium density fibre, board applications are the main objective of this work. Taguchi optimization was utilized to optimize the wear studies of Aloe vera and ramie fibre–reinforced hybrid composite samples. The optimum fibre length and weight percentage were calculated using a contour plot, with the assistance of MINITAB 17 software. Additionally, absorption studies were conducted to reveal the hydrophilic and hydrophobic characteristics of the hybrid composite sample. The crystallinity index percentage was found to range from 42 to 54% in the characterization studies. The functional group of the hybrid polymer composites was identified using the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) characterization technique. Additionally, scanning electron microscope (SEM) studies revealed the presence of fibre cracks, gaps, and voids between the primary and secondary phases of the hybrid composite.

Extensive development of graphene for industrial applications is mostly dependent on the availability of efficient and economical technologies that allow the preparation and manipulation of this material on a wide scale. In order to create the advancement of simple one-step synthesis of reduced graphene oxide (RGO), plant extracts have been employed in the recent studies. This investigation involves a cheap, safe, and environmentally green reduction through the fruit extract of Momordica cymbalaria (M. cymbalaria) for the upscale production of reduced graphene oxide. The phytochemical and high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) analysis were utilized for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of bioactive component present in M. cymbalaria and to find out the targeted phytoconstituent which trigger the reduction of graphene oxide. The finding reveals that the amino acids present in the selected plant play an important role in the bioreduction. HPTLC studies further revealed the presence of L-glutamine, L-tryptophan, L-methionine, and L-valine in the methanolic extract of Momordica cymbalaria which are quantified to be 533.3 µg/mL, 1151 µg/mL, 711.0 µg/mL, and 274.1 µg/mL, respectively. This study reports the identification of amino acid through HPTLC for the first time and also its application in the bioreduction of graphene oxide. The physical and chemical properties of the graphene oxide and reduced graphene oxide obtained through ecofriendly greener method were investigated using UV-Visible spectral studies and characterized by FTIR, XRD, SEM, and TEM studies. The bioreduced GO showed remarkable antimicrobial activity against Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli, with zone of inhibition 13 mm and 11 mm, respectively. Through this investigation, it is comprehensive to claim the involvement of amino acids in the bioreduction of graphene oxide which will be further investigated for its environmental applications.

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In this study, the adsorptive property of a novel manganese ferrite-activated carbon magnetic nanohybrid (Mn-Fe@BAC) material synthesized by coating with manganese ferrite (MnFe₂O₄) nanoparticles of activated carbon (BAC) produced under optimized carbonization conditions with potassium carbonate activation method from industrially processed black cumin (Nigella sativa) waste was used as an adsorbent in remediation of artificially contaminated water with lead (II) ions (Pb²⁺). Experiments were performed to examine the systematic effects of process parameters such as synthesized material amount, initial Pb²⁺ ion concentration, interaction time, and system temperature on the investigated adsorption system at the pH (5.06) of Pb²⁺ in an aqueous solution. Experimental kinetic and equilibrium isotherm data were analyzed in commonly used models and were well-fitted by pseudo-second-order and Langmuir models, respectively. The kinetic sorption mechanism was found to occur in multiple steps. The maximum Pb²⁺ adsorbing ability of the Mn-Fe@BAC was 294 mg/g at 20 °C. Thermodynamic analysis showed that the process was spontaneous and exothermic. In addition, it showed reuse stability up to four adsorption–desorption cycles for Pb²⁺ ions. In conclusion, this study highlights that it is an ultra-effective adsorbent that can be easily separated magnetically in the remediation of water contaminated with Pb²⁺ ions.

A blended tropical pineapple (Ananas comosus) peel and crown (PPC) fruit wastes were utilized as an alternate source material for producing mesoporous-activated carbon through H₃PO₄ activation employing microwave pyrolysis. Diverse techniques including BET, XRD, FTIR, and SEM–EDX were employed to characterize the PPC-AC. The efficacy of PPC-AC as an adsorbent was assessed for removing (MB) cationic dye from an aqueous medium. Optimization of adsorption process parameters—adsorbent dose (A: 0.02–0.1 g/100 mL), solution pH (B: 4–10), and contact time (C: 40–360 min)—was conducted using RSM-BBD. The adsorption process adhered to pseudo-second-order (PSO) kinetics and Freundlich isotherm models. PPC-AC demonstrated a peak adsorption capacity of 39.5 mg/g for MB dye. The adsorption mechanism of MB dye was attributed to various interactions including electrostatic, H-bonding, and π–π interaction. This investigation showcases the efficacy of a renewable biomass resource for generating activated carbon with advantageous adsorption properties for cationic dyes.

Chitin is a biopolymer contained in shrimp shells, its extraction requires costly and polluting processes. However, it has a wide range of applications, mainly in the pharmaceutical and automotive sectors. The aim of this work is to improve the chitin purification process by using an experimental design to reduce the cost of the process and its effects as much as possible. The "Definitive Screening Design" (DSD) discovered in 2011, offers an attractive alternative to existing designs by screening and optimizing at the same time. The quality of the obtained biopolymer was expressed by crystallinity index that was extracted from the X-ray diffraction (XRD) data, which reveals a crystallinity index (CrI%) about 87% for optimal values of 0.5 M for the concentration of acid chloride and 40 °C for the demineralization temperature for three hours. To identify the chitin and assess its quality a parameter called acetylation degree was calculated from Fourier Transform Infrared spectrophotometry (FT-IR) results, that revealed an optimal value about 77% for an acid chloride concentration of 1.5 M, a sodium hydroxide concentration of 0.5 M, and a temperature of 40 °C for the demineralization and deproteinization steps. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analysis was performed to observe the morphology of purified chitin, which reveals a homogeneous surface with block formation while using HCl as demineralization agent in the process, so it is considered the most suitable acid to use in this step.

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A novel environmentally friendly and cost-effective adsorbents derived via hydrothermal carbonization (HTC), designated as HC-I, HC-II, and MHC, were isolated in situ using iron precursor and alkaline medium from Rhododendron arboreum leaves (RAL) for the purpose of organic dye removal from wastewater. The materials underwent comprehensive characterization through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Among the three materials, MHC exhibited notably very high efficacy in reducing contaminants, i.e., crystal violet (CV), methyl green (MG), fuchsin basic (FB), and methylene blue (MB) from waste water. Batch adsorption experiments revealed MHC’s superior performance, achieving maximum dye removal rates of 99.32% for CV, 98.496% for MG, 92.024% for FB, and 91.496% for MB, surpassing the capabilities of HC-I, HC-II besides other related materials. Moreover, its magnetic nature facilitated easy separation from the solution. This study not only presents the synthesis and characterization of the effective magnetic hydrochar material, but also underscores the potential of adsorbent materials for pollutant removal from textile effluent.

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Biochars and their activated carbons derived from sustainable materials constitute an extensive use in adsorbing several hazardous substances due to their excellent characteristics and their high efficiencies. In this work, an economic and prompt method was adopted to prepare activated carbon from low-cost, abundant, and sustainable ligno-cellulosic Zilla spinosa fruits chemically activated with zinc chloride (ZnCl₂) in a laboratory microwave apparatus. The experiments were carried out at different mixing ratios (1:1, 2:1, and 1:2), microwave power (580 W, 640 W, and 720 W), and microwave time (60, 90, 120, 180, and 240 s). The obtained activated carbon was analyzed using a number of techniques which include Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area, X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and thermogravimetric-differential thermal analysis (TGA-DTA). The optimal conditions for the design of activated carbon with the maximum adsorption ability of methylene blue (390 mg/g) were as follows: carbonization temperature of microwave power = 640 w, radiation time = 180 s, Zilla to ZnCl₂ ratio of 2:1. The dye uptake mechanism fulfilled first-order kinetic and Freundlich models. Overall, it has been proven that the prepared activated carbons, due to simplicity of synthesis and ease of recuperation from solution, could be proficiently used for water purification systems.

This paper presents an in-depth study of the extraction process of Argemone ochroleuca seeds oil, including parameter optimization and oil characterization. This oil shows much promise for use in epoxy oil and biodiesel production. The optimum extraction, which gave an oil yield of 47.8%, was found to be a temperature of 63 °C, an extraction time of 6.8 h, and a solvent-to-sample ratio of 11.5 by using the Box-Behnken design response surface methodology. The density, refractive index, kinetic viscosity, saponification value, iodine value, acid value, FFA%, peroxide value, and heating value of oil were 902.4 kg/m³, 1.462, 30.1 c.St., 191.4, 124.8, 1.92, 0.96%, 12.6 meq/kg, and 40.5 MJ/kg, providing valuable insights into its properties and potential applications. Argemone ochroleuca seeds oil was found to contain palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic, and linolenic acids by GC–MS analysis. Using infrared spectroscopy, functional groups including carboxylic acids, alkanes, and alkenes were identified. The ultimate analysis showed the composition of the oil, including 78.7% carbon, 12.6% hydrogen, 0.49% nitrogen, 0.003% sulfur, and 8.18% oxygen. A comprehensive experiment was carried out to fully evaluate the stability of refined Argemone ochroleuca seed oil. The study shows storage of Argemone ochroleuca seed oil under favorable conditions, such as in a closed, dark, or refrigerated environment, helps preserve its oxidative stability, quality, and shelf life, resulting in the production of high-quality products. The obtained results greatly support the use of Argemone ochroleuca seed oil in biodiesel and epoxy oil production.