IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/appene/v278y2020ics0306261920312216.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Insight into KOH activation mechanism during biomass pyrolysis: Chemical reactions between O-containing groups and KOH

Author

Listed:
  • Chen, Wei
  • Gong, Meng
  • Li, Kaixu
  • Xia, Mingwei
  • Chen, Zhiqun
  • Xiao, Haoyu
  • Fang, Yang
  • Chen, Yingquan
  • Yang, Haiping
  • Chen, Hanping

Abstract

Understanding the specific chemical activation mechanism during biomass pyrolysis is critical for the more efficient use of biomass and biochar. In this study, the effects of KOH/biomass ratios (1:8 to 1:1) and temperatures (400–800 °C) on biomass pyrolysis were investigated. The KOH chemical activation mechanism was explored by revealing the evolution mechanisms of the gaseous product, bio-oil, biochar, and KOH, based on experiments and quantum calculations. Results showed that KOH can react with active O-containing species in biomass, which was the main reaction at lower ratios (1:8–1:2) or lower temperatures (400–600 °C). Here, KOH was completely transformed to K2CO3, leading to the formation of large amounts of gaseous products and phenols (reaching 75%). The reaction between KOH and more stable carbon fragments, however, was enhanced at higher ratios (>1:2) or higher temperatures (700–800 °C), such that it became the main reaction. With a significant decrease in the phenols and O-species, the hydrocarbons became the dominant species (reaching a content of 57.43%). For biochar, the reactions among KOH, O-containing species, and carbon fragments generated an abundance of vacancies in the biochar. The OH– from KOH rapidly entered these vacancies, forming a large amount of new O-containing groups (i.e., CO, OH, CO, OCO, and COOH groups). This also caused an increase in oxygen content (reaching 23.68 wt%) in biochar. At higher temperatures, the reactions between KOH and biomass were significantly enhanced, along with a sharp increase in the specific surface area (reaching 1351.13 m2/g). O-containing groups further transformed to more stable OH, CO, and COOH groups. Based on the evolution mechanism of pyrolytic products and KOH, the KOH chemical activation mechanism during biomass pyrolysis was revealed, allowing us, for the first time, to propose a possible chemical reaction pathway between KOH and O-containing groups.

Suggested Citation

  • Chen, Wei & Gong, Meng & Li, Kaixu & Xia, Mingwei & Chen, Zhiqun & Xiao, Haoyu & Fang, Yang & Chen, Yingquan & Yang, Haiping & Chen, Hanping, 2020. "Insight into KOH activation mechanism during biomass pyrolysis: Chemical reactions between O-containing groups and KOH," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 278(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:278:y:2020:i:c:s0306261920312216
    DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2020.115730
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306261920312216
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.apenergy.2020.115730?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Chen, Wei & Fang, Yang & Li, Kaixu & Chen, Zhiqun & Xia, Mingwei & Gong, Meng & Chen, Yingquan & Yang, Haiping & Tu, Xin & Chen, Hanping, 2020. "Bamboo wastes catalytic pyrolysis with N-doped biochar catalyst for phenols products," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 260(C).
    2. Johannes Lehmann, 2007. "A handful of carbon," Nature, Nature, vol. 447(7141), pages 143-144, May.
    3. Chen, Wei & Li, Kaixu & Xia, Mingwei & Yang, Haiping & Chen, Yingquan & Chen, Xu & Che, Qingfeng & Chen, Hanping, 2018. "Catalytic deoxygenation co-pyrolysis of bamboo wastes and microalgae with biochar catalyst," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 157(C), pages 472-482.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Bryan Díaz & Alicia Sommer-Márquez & Paola E. Ordoñez & Ernesto Bastardo-González & Marvin Ricaurte & Carlos Navas-Cárdenas, 2024. "Synthesis Methods, Properties, and Modifications of Biochar-Based Materials for Wastewater Treatment: A Review," Resources, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-33, January.
    2. Jie Jiang & Yongfa Diao, 2022. "The Effects of Physical-Chemical Evolution of High-Sulfur Petroleum Coke on Hg 0 Removal from Coal-Fired Flue Gas and Exploration of Its Micro-Scale Mechanism," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(12), pages 1-29, June.
    3. Hu, Mian & Ye, Zhiheng & Zhang, Qi & Xue, Qiping & Li, Zhibin & Wang, Junliang & Pan, Zhiyan, 2022. "Towards understanding the chemical reactions between KOH and oxygen-containing groups during KOH-catalyzed pyrolysis of biomass," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 245(C).
    4. Kuo-Hsiung Lin & Jiun-Horng Tsai & Zhi-Wei Chou & Hung-Lung Chiang, 2021. "Product Characteristics of Sludge Pyrolysis and Adsorption Performance of Metals by Char," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-16, November.
    5. Aniza, Ria & Chen, Wei-Hsin & Lin, Yu-Ying & Tran, Khanh-Quang & Chang, Jo-Shu & Lam, Su Shiung & Park, Young-Kwon & Kwon, Eilhann E. & Tabatabaei, Meisam, 2021. "Independent parallel pyrolysis kinetics of extracted proteins and lipids as well as model carbohydrates in microalgae," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 300(C).
    6. Patel, Himanshu & Mohanty, Amar & Misra, Manjusri, 2024. "Post-combustion CO2 capture using biomass based activated porous carbon: Latest advances in synthesis protocol and economics," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 199(C).
    7. Qi, Penggang & Su, Yinhai & Yang, Liren & Wang, Jiaxing & Jiang, Mei & Xiong, Yuanquan, 2024. "Catalytic pyrolysis of rice husk to co-produce hydrogen-rich syngas, phenol-rich bio-oil and nanostructured porous carbon," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 298(C).
    8. Ma, Jiao & Kong, Wenwen & Di, Weiqiang & Zhang, Zhikun & Wang, Zhuozhi & Feng, Shuo & Shen, Boxiong & Mu, Lan, 2022. "Synergistic effect of bulking agents and biodegradation on the pyrolysis of biodried products derived from municipal organic wastes: Product distribution and biochar physicochemical characteristics," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 248(C).
    9. Xia, Mingwei & Chen, Zhiqiang & Chen, Yingquan & Yang, Haiping & Chen, Wei & Chen, Hanping, 2024. "Effect of various potassium agents on product distributions and biochar carbon sequestration of biomass pyrolysis," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 289(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Zhang, Zhikun & Zhu, Zongyuan & Shen, Boxiong & Liu, Lina, 2019. "Insights into biochar and hydrochar production and applications: A review," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 171(C), pages 581-598.
    2. Yang, Haiping & Chen, Zhiqun & Chen, Wei & Chen, Yingquan & Wang, Xianhua & Chen, Hanping, 2020. "Role of porous structure and active O-containing groups of activated biochar catalyst during biomass catalytic pyrolysis," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 210(C).
    3. Liu, Zihan & Li, Pan & Chang, Chun & Wang, Xianhua & Song, Jiande & Fang, Shuqi & Pang, Shusheng, 2022. "Influence of metal chloride modified biochar on products characteristics from biomass catalytic pyrolysis," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 250(C).
    4. Kung, Chih-Chun & McCarl, Bruce A. & Cao, Xiaoyong, 2013. "Economics of pyrolysis-based energy production and biochar utilization: A case study in Taiwan," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 317-323.
    5. Zouhair Elkhlifi & Jerosha Iftikhar & Mohammad Sarraf & Baber Ali & Muhammad Hamzah Saleem & Irshad Ibranshahib & Mozart Daltro Bispo & Lucas Meili & Sezai Ercisli & Ehlinaz Torun Kayabasi & Naser Ale, 2023. "Potential Role of Biochar on Capturing Soil Nutrients, Carbon Sequestration and Managing Environmental Challenges: A Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-18, January.
    6. Yue, Xia & Chen, Dezhen & Luo, Jia & Xin, Qianfan & Huang, Zhen, 2020. "Upgrading of reed pyrolysis oil by using its biochar-based catalytic esterification and the influence of reed sources," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 268(C).
    7. Mathews, John A., 2008. "Carbon-negative biofuels," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(3), pages 940-945, March.
    8. Savvas L. Douvartzides & Nikolaos D. Charisiou & Kyriakos N. Papageridis & Maria A. Goula, 2019. "Green Diesel: Biomass Feedstocks, Production Technologies, Catalytic Research, Fuel Properties and Performance in Compression Ignition Internal Combustion Engines," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-41, February.
    9. Sriphirom, Patikorn & Rossopa, Benjamas, 2023. "Assessment of greenhouse gas mitigation from rice cultivation using alternate wetting and drying and rice straw biochar in Thailand," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 290(C).
    10. Kanbur, Ravi & Leard, Benjamin & Bento, Antonio, 2012. "Super-Additionality: A Neglected Force in Markets for Carbon Offsets," CEPR Discussion Papers 8952, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    11. Chen, Wei & Fang, Yang & Li, Kaixu & Chen, Zhiqun & Xia, Mingwei & Gong, Meng & Chen, Yingquan & Yang, Haiping & Tu, Xin & Chen, Hanping, 2020. "Bamboo wastes catalytic pyrolysis with N-doped biochar catalyst for phenols products," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 260(C).
    12. Huang, Yu-Fong & Chiueh, Pei-Te & Shih, Chun-Hao & Lo, Shang-Lien & Sun, Liping & Zhong, Yuan & Qiu, Chunsheng, 2015. "Microwave pyrolysis of rice straw to produce biochar as an adsorbent for CO2 capture," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 75-82.
    13. Chun, Young Nam & Song, Hee Gaen, 2020. "Microwave-induced carbon-CO2 gasification for energy conversion," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 190(C).
    14. Chih-Chun Kung & Bruce A. McCarl & Chi-Chung Chen, 2014. "An Environmental and Economic Evaluation of Pyrolysis for Energy Generation in Taiwan with Endogenous Land Greenhouse Gases Emissions," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-19, March.
    15. Ahmad Numery Ashfaqul Haque & Md. Kamal Uddin & Muhammad Firdaus Sulaiman & Adibah Mohd Amin & Mahmud Hossain & Zakaria M. Solaiman & Mehnaz Mosharrof, 2021. "Biochar with Alternate Wetting and Drying Irrigation: A Potential Technique for Paddy Soil Management," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-35, April.
    16. Ortiz, Leandro Rodriguez & Torres, Erick & Zalazar, Daniela & Zhang, Huili & Rodriguez, Rosa & Mazza, Germán, 2020. "Influence of pyrolysis temperature and bio-waste composition on biochar characteristics," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 155(C), pages 837-847.
    17. Ye-Eun Lee & I-Tae Kim & Yeong-Seok Yoo, 2018. "Stabilization of High-Organic-Content Water Treatment Sludge by Pyrolysis," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-14, November.
    18. Hemant Ghai & Deepak Sakhuja & Shikha Yadav & Preeti Solanki & Chayanika Putatunda & Ravi Kant Bhatia & Arvind Kumar Bhatt & Sunita Varjani & Yung-Hun Yang & Shashi Kant Bhatia & Abhishek Walia, 2022. "An Overview on Co-Pyrolysis of Biodegradable and Non-Biodegradable Wastes," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-27, June.
    19. Shi-Xiang Zhao & Na Ta & Xu-Dong Wang, 2017. "Effect of Temperature on the Structural and Physicochemical Properties of Biochar with Apple Tree Branches as Feedstock Material," Energies, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-15, August.
    20. Sarah A. Doydora & Miguel L. Cabrera & Keshav C. Das & Julia W. Gaskin & Leticia S. Sonon & William P. Miller, 2011. "Release of Nitrogen and Phosphorus from Poultry Litter Amended with Acidified Biochar," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 8(5), pages 1-12, May.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:278:y:2020:i:c:s0306261920312216. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/405891/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.