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Biochar and Carbon-Based Materials: Properties and Applications

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A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Carbon Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2023) | Viewed by 20140

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Dr. Agnieszka Tomczyk

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Institute of Agrophysics PAS, Doświadczalna 4, 20-290 Lublin, Poland
Interests: biochar; adsorption/desorption; heavy metals; antibiotics; nanoparticles; kinetics of adsorption; isotherms of adsorption; modelling of adsorption; pyrolysis; physicochemical and surface properties of solids

Dr. Katarzyna Szewczuk-Karpisz

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Institute of Agrophysics PAS, Doświadczalna 4, 20-290 Lublin, Poland
Interests: carbon composites; adsorption/desorption; multisystem of adsorbates; clay minerals; immobilization of ions; polymers; pesticides
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Nowadays, the crisis of energy, aggravating degradation of soil, and intensifying pollution of aqueous media are at the top of our global problems. All this leads to the search for materials with ever-higher efficiency. Carbon-based solids (e.g., biochar) might be one such profitable product. Biomass wastes (agricultural waste, animal waste, wood waste) are known as organic precursors for the production of carbon materials due to their low cost, accessibility, ubiquity, renewable nature, and environmental friendliness. Biochar and carbon-based solids have beneficial physicochemical features, high generation and conversion of heat and energy, advantageous agronomic properties (e.g., to improve condition of soil), and high efficiency in water purification from xenobiotics. All properites and applications are influenced by factors, such as the type of thermal treatment, pyrolysis conditions, and type of feedstocks. This Special Issue invites original articles dedicated to the following subjects:

From biomass to carbon-based materials (procedure of synthesis, pyrolysis conditions, thermal methods, type of feedstock, physicochemical, and surface characteristics);
Energy and heat performance of carbon-rich materials;
Purification of water: adsorption/desorption of adsorbates in mono, binary, or multisystem on carbonaceous solid in aqueous media (impact of various factors on the process, organic and inorganic adsorbates, modelling using kinetic equations and isotherms of adsorption equilibrium, and regeneration of solids);
Applications as soil amendment: impact on physicochemical properties of soil, plant growth, and decontamination of xenobiotics,
Other innovative and practical applications for carbon-based materials.

Dr. Agnieszka Tomczyk
Dr. Katarzyna Szewczuk-Karpisz
Guest Editors

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Keywords

biochar
biomass pyrolysis
carbon materials
synthesis of composite
pyrolysis condition
fertilizer
soil condition
energy and heat performance
purification of water

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Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 1843 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of Pre-Incubation of Inoculum with Biochar on Anaerobic Digestion Performance

by Marvin T. Valentin, Kacper Świechowski and Andrzej Białowiec

Materials 2023, 16(20), 6655; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16206655 - 11 Oct 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1316

Abstract

The application of biochar as an additive to enhance the anaerobic digestion (AD) of biomass has been extensively studied from various perspectives. This study reported, for the first time, the influence of biochar incubation in the inoculum on the anaerobic fermentation of glucose in a batch-type reactor over 20 days. Three groups of inoculum with the same characteristics were pre-mixed once with biochar for different durations: 21 days (D21), 10 days (D10), and 0 days (D0). The BC was mixed in the inoculum at a concentration of 8.0 g/L. The proportion of the inoculum and substrate was adjusted to an inoculum-to-substrate ratio of 2.0 based on the volatile solids. The results of the experiment revealed that D21 had the highest cumulative methane yield, of 348.98 mL, compared to 322.66, 290.05, and 25.15 mL obtained from D10, D0, and the control, respectively. Three models—modified Gompertz, first-order, and Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA)—were used to interpret the biomethane production. All models showed promising fitting of the cumulative biomethane production, as indicated by high

R^{2}

and low RMSE values. Among these models, the ARIMA model exhibited the closest fit to the actual data. The biomethane production rate, derived from the modified Gompertz Model, increased as the incubation period increased, with D21 yielding the highest rate of 31.13 mL/gVS. This study suggests that the application of biochar in the anaerobic fermentation of glucose, particularly considering the short incubation period, holds significant potential for improving the overall performance of anaerobic digestion. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biochar and Carbon-Based Materials: Properties and Applications)

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18 pages, 364 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Properties of Poultry-Manure-Derived Biochar for Peat Substitution in Growing Media

by Katarzyna Wystalska, Krystyna Malińska, Jolanta Sobik-Szołtysek, Danuta Dróżdż and Erik Meers

Materials 2023, 16(19), 6392; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16196392 - 25 Sep 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1584

Abstract

Peat is considered a contentious input in horticulture. Therefore, there is a search for suitable alternatives with similar properties that can be used for partial or complete peat substitution in growing media. Poultry-manure-derived biochar (PMB) is considered such an alternative. This study aimed at determining the properties of PMBs obtained through pyrolysis at selected temperatures and assessing their potentials to substitute peat in growing media based on the selected properties. The scope included the laboratory-scale pyrolysis of poultry manure at the temperatures of 425–725 °C; the determination of selected physico-chemical and physical properties of the obtained biochars, including the contaminants; and the assessment of the potentials of produced biochars to be used as peat substitutes. PMBs contained less than 36% of total organic carbon (TOC). The contents of P and K were about 2.03–3.91% and 2.74–5.13%, respectively. PMBs did not retain N. They can be safely used as the concentrations of heavy metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinatd biphenyls (PCBs), dioxins, and furans are within the permissible values (except for Cr). Due to high pH (9.24–12.35), they can have a liming effect. High water holding capacity (WHC) in the range of 158–232% w/w could allow for the maintenance of moisture in the growing media. PMBs obtained at 525 °C, 625 °C, and 725 °C showed required stability (H/C_org < 0.7). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biochar and Carbon-Based Materials: Properties and Applications)

19 pages, 13961 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Influence of Poultry Manure-Derived Biochar and Compost on Soil Properties and Plant Biomass Growth

by Danuta Dróżdż, Krystyna Malińska, Katarzyna Wystalska, Erik Meers and Ana Robles-Aguilar

Materials 2023, 16(18), 6314; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16186314 - 20 Sep 2023

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3109

Abstract

Promising methods for managing poultry manure (PM) include converting poultry manure through pyrolysis to biochar, which can be used for soil applications. The overall goal of this study was to determine the effects of poultry manure-derived biochar and compost on the soil and growth of cherry tomatoes. The biochar obtained at 475 °C was characterized by a relatively high organic matter content of 39.47% and nitrogen content of 3.73%, while it had the lowest C/N ratio of 8.18. According to the recommendations of the EBC, the biochar obtained at 475 °C demonstrated the most beneficial effects in terms of fertilizing potential. The composting of poultry manure with the straw was successful, and the limit of 60 °C was exceeded, which allowed for the hygienization of the compost. The produced compost and biochar are sanitary safe and do not exceed the limits of heavy metal content. The lowest plant biomass was obtained from growing medium A with 3.6 g wet weight (0.24 g dry weight). The measurements of the height of cherry tomatoes showed that growing media D, E, and F allowed the plants to obtain from 602 to 654 mm in height. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biochar and Carbon-Based Materials: Properties and Applications)

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17 pages, 5926 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Heat Treatment on the Physicochemical Properties and Electrochemical Behavior of Biochars for Electrocatalyst Support Applications

by Rocío García-Rocha, Sergio M. Durón-Torres, Salvador A. Palomares-Sánchez, Antonio Del Rio-De Santiago, Ivone Rojas-de Soto and Ismailia L. Escalante-García

Materials 2023, 16(16), 5571; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16165571 - 10 Aug 2023

Viewed by 1196

Abstract

The present work reports the synthesis and the physicochemical characterization of biochar from the organic wastes of nopal (Opuntia Leucotricha), coffee grounds (Coffea arabica) and Ataulfo mango seeds (Mangifera indica) as alternative electrocatalyst supports to Vulcan XC-72 carbon black. The biochars were prepared using pyrolysis from organic wastes collected at three temperatures, 600, 750 and 900 °C, under two atmospheres, N₂ and H₂. The synthesized biochars were characterized using Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to obtain insights into their chemical structure and morphological nature, respectively, as a function of temperature and pyrolysis atmosphere. A N₂ adsorption/desorption technique, two-point conductivity measurements and cyclic voltammetry (CV) were conducted to evaluate the specific surface area (SSA), electrical conductivity and double-layer capacitance, respectively, of all the biochars to estimate their physical properties as a possible alternative carbon support. The results indicated that the mango biochar demonstrated the highest properties among all the biochars, such as an electrical conductivity of 8.3 S/cm⁻¹ at 900 °C in N₂, a specific surface area of 829 m²/g at 600 °C in H₂ and a capacitance of ~300 mF/g at 900 °C in N₂. The nopal and coffee biochars exhibited excellent specific surface areas, up to 767 m²/g at 600 °C in N₂ and 699 m²/g at 750 °C in H₂, respectively; nonetheless, their electrical conductivity and capacitance were limited. Therefore, the mango biochar at 900 °C in N₂ was considered a suitable alternative carbon material for electrocatalyst support. Additionally, it was possible to determine that the electrical conductivity and capacitance increased as a function of the pyrolysis temperature, while the specific surface area decreased for some biochars as the pyrolysis temperature increased. Overall, it is possible to conclude that heat treatment at a high temperature of 900 °C enhanced the biochar properties toward electrocatalyst support applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biochar and Carbon-Based Materials: Properties and Applications)

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18 pages, 2891 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Biochar from Grapevine Pruning Residues as an Efficient Adsorbent of Polyphenolic Compounds

by Melissa Prelac, Igor Palčić, Danko Cvitan, Dominik Anđelini, Maja Repajić, Josip Ćurko, Tvrtko Karlo Kovačević, Smiljana Goreta Ban, Zoran Užila, Dean Ban and Nikola Major

Materials 2023, 16(13), 4716; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16134716 - 29 Jun 2023

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1969

Abstract

Agricultural waste, which is produced in large quantities annually, can be a threat to the environment. Biochar (BC) production represents a potential solution for reducing the amount of grapevine pruning residues and, accordingly, the impact on the environment and climate change. Biochar produced by the process of pyrolysis from grapevine pruning residues was investigated and characterized to be applied as an adsorbent of polyphenolic compounds with the aim of using the waste from viticultural production to obtain a quality product with adsorption and recovery potential. Standards of caffeic acid (CA), gallic acid (GA), and oleuropein (OLP) were used as polyphenolic representatives. The obtained data were fitted with the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms models to describe the adsorption process. The best K_L (0.39) and R² (0.9934) were found for OLP using the Langmuir model. Furthermore, the adsorption dynamics and recovery potential of BC were investigated using an adapted BC column and performed on an HPLC instrument. The adsorption dynamics of biochar resulted in the adsorption of 5.73 mg CA g⁻¹ of BC, 3.90 mg GA g⁻¹ of BC, and 3.17 mg OLP g⁻¹ of BC in a 24 h contact. The online solid phase extraction of the compounds performed on an HPLC instrument yielded a recovery of 41.5 ± 1.71% for CA, 61.8 ± 1.16% for GA, and 91.4 ± 2.10% for OLP. The investigated biochar has shown a higher affinity for low-polar compound adsorption and, consequently, a higher polar compound recovery suggesting its potential as an efficient polyphenolic compound adsorbent. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biochar and Carbon-Based Materials: Properties and Applications)

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14 pages, 3306 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Deashed Wheat-Straw Biochar as a Potential Superabsorbent for Pesticides

by Irmina Ćwieląg-Piasecka, Elżbieta Jamroz, Agnieszka Medyńska-Juraszek, Magdalena Bednik, Bogna Kosyk and Nora Polláková

Materials 2023, 16(6), 2185; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16062185 - 9 Mar 2023

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 4509

Abstract

Biochar activation methods have attracted extensive attention due to their great role in improving sorptive properties of carbon-based materials. As a result, chemically modified biochars gained application potential in the purification of soil and water from xenobiotics. This paper describes changes in selected physicochemical properties of high-temperature wheat-straw biochar (BC) upon its deashing. On the pristine and chemically activated biochar (BCd) retention of five pesticides of endocrine disrupting activity (carbaryl, carbofuran, 2,4-D, MCPA and metolachlor) was studied. Deashing resulted in increased sorbent aromaticity and abundance in surface hydroxyl groups. BCd exhibited more developed meso- and microporosity and nearly triple the surface area of BC. Hydrophobic pesticides (metolachlor and carbamates) displayed comparably high (88–98%) and irreversible adsorption on both BCs, due to the pore filling, whereas the hydrophilic and ionic phenoxyacetic acids were weakly and reversibly sorbed on BC (7.3 and 39% of 2,4-D and MCPA dose introduced). Their removal from solution and hence retention on the deashed biochar was nearly total, due to the increased sorbent surface area and interactions of the agrochemicals with unclogged OH groups. The modified biochar has the potential to serve as a superabsorbent, immobilizing organic pollutant of diverse hydrophobicity from water and soil solution. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biochar and Carbon-Based Materials: Properties and Applications)

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22 pages, 8290 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of the Application of Sunflower Biochar and Leafy Trees Biochar on Soil Hydrological Properties of Fallow Soils and under Soybean Cultivation

by Urszula Sadowska, Tomasz Zaleski, Maciej Kuboń, Agnieszka Latawiec, Agnieszka Klimek-Kopyra, Jakub Sikora, Maciej Gliniak, Rafał Kobyłecki and Robert Zarzycki

Materials 2023, 16(4), 1737; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16041737 - 20 Feb 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1817

Abstract

Soils enriched with biochar are recommended as a cultivation grounds, especially in case they contain significant amount of sand. However, the interactions between biochar and plants, as well as the influence of the biochar on water retention, cultivation and air properties of soils, are still not obvious. The present study aimed to determine the impact of various biochar doses on soils used for soya cultivation, in comparison to soils maintained as black fallow soil, on their water retention and productivity, for the period of two years. Sunflower husk biochar (BC1) and biochar of leafy trees (BC2), in doses of 0, 40, 60, 80 t·ha⁻¹, were used for field experiments. The water retention was investigated with porous boards in pressure chambers by a drying method. No differences in the hydrological properties of the soils that were differently managed (black fallow soil, crop) were observed following biochar application. Addition of BC1, in the amounts of 40, 60, and 80 t·ha⁻¹, caused an increase in the plant available water capacity (AWC) by 15.3%, 18.7%, and 13.3%, respectively, whereas the field capacity (FC) increased by 7.4%, 9.4%, and 8.6% for soils without biochar. Application of BC2 analogously resulted in higher AWC, by 8.97, 17.2%, and 33.1%, respectively, and higher FC by 3.75, 7.5%, and 18.3%, respectively. Increasing the doses of BC1 and BC2, both on black fallow soils and soils enriched with soya, caused a rise in total porosity (TP) and drainage porosity (DP), and a decrease in soil bulk density (SBD). Biochar with a higher total area and higher porosity (BC1) applied to soils with soya cultivation resulted in lower reductions in AW and FC than BC2 in the second year of investigation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biochar and Carbon-Based Materials: Properties and Applications)

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14 pages, 6133 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Digestate Modified with Amendments on Soil Health and Plant Biomass under Varying Experimental Durations

by Jiri Holatko, Martin Brtnicky, Adnan Mustafa, Antonin Kintl, Petr Skarpa, Pavel Ryant, Tivadar Baltazar, Ondrej Malicek, Oldrich Latal and Tereza Hammerschmiedt

Materials 2023, 16(3), 1027; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16031027 - 23 Jan 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1810

Abstract

A digestate with amendments provides plants with available nutrients and improves the microbiological properties of treated soil. Modification of a digestate through the addition of a biochar and sulphur source is less well-known. This pot experiment aimed at comparing the short- and long-time fertilization effects of a digestate enriched with biochar, with elemental sulphur, or with a combination of both on soil health and plant biomass. The experiment was carried out with maize, cultivated twice (1st–12th week = pre-cultivation; re-sowing after shoot harvest, 13th–24th = main cultivation) in soil amended with prepared digestate. The digestate used in pre-cultivation was incubated untreated (D) and was then treated with biochar (D + B), with elemental sulphur at a low (LS) and high (HS) dose, or with a combination of both (D + B + LS and D + B + HS). An additional unamended digestate (D) was added to each soil variant before the main cultivation. The application of digestate with a high dose of elemental sulphur and biochar mediated the most significant differences in the soil. The increase (compared to the unamended soil) was of short-term type (+11% and +6% increased total nitrogen and carbon after 12 weeks), then of long-term type (+54% and +30% increased sulphur and arylsulfatase activity after 24 weeks), and later emerged in the 13th to the 24th week of the experiment (+57% and +32% non-inhibited urease, increased N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase and phosphatase). No significant differences in the effect of the applied amendments on dry aboveground plant biomass were observed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biochar and Carbon-Based Materials: Properties and Applications)

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12 pages, 1569 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Soil Properties and Maize Yield Improvement with Biochar-Enriched Poultry Litter-Based Fertilizer

by Jiri Holatko, Tereza Hammerschmiedt, Jiri Kucerik, Tivadar Baltazar, Maja Radziemska, Zdenek Havlicek, Antonin Kintl, Iwona Jaskulska, Ondrej Malicek and Martin Brtnicky

Materials 2022, 15(24), 9003; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15249003 - 16 Dec 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1939

Abstract

Conversion of poultry litter into fertilizer presents an environmentally friendly way for its disposal. The amendment of stabilizing sorption materials (e.g., biochar) to broiler chicken rearing seems promising, as it protects produced litter from nutrient losses and improves fertilizing efficacy. Thus, a pot experiment was carried out with maize and organic fertilizers produced from biochar-amended chicken bedding. The properties of three types of poultry-matured litter, amended with biochar at 0%, 10% and 20% dose, were analyzed. These matured litters were added to soil and physicochemical, biological properties and dry aboveground crop biomass yield were determined. Both biochar doses improved matured litter dry matter (+29%, +68% compared to unamended litter) and organic carbon (+5%, +9%). All three fertilizers significantly increased dry plant aboveground biomass yield (+3% and +42% compared to control litter-treated variant) and N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase activity (+51%, +57%) compared to unamended control soil. The 20% biochar poultry-matured litter derived the highest dry plant aboveground biomass, highest respiration induced by D-glucose (+53%) and D-mannose (+35%, compared to control litter-treated variant), and decreased pH (−6% compared to unamended control). Biochar-derived modification of poultry litter maturation process led to organic fertilizer which enhanced degradation of soil organic matter in the subsequently amended soil. Furthermore, this type of fertilizer, compared to conventional unamended litter-based type, increased microbial activity, nutrient availability, and biomass yield of maize in selected biochar doses, even under conditions of significant soil acidification. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biochar and Carbon-Based Materials: Properties and Applications)

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