In situ SAXS studies of the pore development in biochar during gasification

This work investigates the pore development in biochar during gasification using synchrotron small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) as an in situ characterization technique. The influence of the gasifying agents (H2O, CO2 or H2O/CO2) and temperature on the pore structure development in biochar was stud...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Liu, Y., Paskevicius, Mark, Sofianos, M.V., Parkinson, G., Li, Chun-Zhu
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD 2021
Subjects:
Online Access:http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP180101788
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/91769
_version_ 1848765587427164160
author Liu, Y.
Paskevicius, Mark
Sofianos, M.V.
Parkinson, G.
Li, Chun-Zhu
author_facet Liu, Y.
Paskevicius, Mark
Sofianos, M.V.
Parkinson, G.
Li, Chun-Zhu
author_sort Liu, Y.
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description This work investigates the pore development in biochar during gasification using synchrotron small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) as an in situ characterization technique. The influence of the gasifying agents (H2O, CO2 or H2O/CO2) and temperature on the pore structure development in biochar was studied by carrying out the hour-long gasification of mallee wood biochar (106–250 μm) in: (i) H2O at 700, 800 and 900 °C respectively, (ii) CO2 at 700 and 800 °C, and (iii) a mixture of H2O and CO2 (H2O/CO2) at 800 °C. There was a minor increase in the micro- and mesopore volumes in biochar during gasification in H2O at 700 °C, in contrast to CO2 gasification at the same temperature where no measurable changes to the pore structure were observed. At 800 °C, biochar derived from H2O/CO2 gasification exhibited the highest specific surface area (SSA). CO2 tended to produce a highly microporous biochar with a mesopore network showing pore fractal features. Micropore enlargement was a major process in the presence of H2O. In this case, the pore structure evolved from being a porous network of branched micropore clusters (pore fractal) to being dominated by rough surfaced mesopores (surface fractal) during gasification in H2O and H2O/CO2. The evolution of pore structures result from the different ways in which carbon atoms were removed by either H2O or CO2. H2O is more reactive and less selective towards reacting with biochar, resulting in a less worm-like network of pores than CO2. Moreover, it was found that increasing temperatures can lead to faster rates of pore generation and pore enlargement, which is attributed to the increased reaction rate and the less selective removal of carbon atoms.
first_indexed 2025-11-14T11:37:37Z
format Journal Article
id curtin-20.500.11937-91769
institution Curtin University Malaysia
institution_category Local University
language English
last_indexed 2025-11-14T11:37:37Z
publishDate 2021
publisher PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD
recordtype eprints
repository_type Digital Repository
spelling curtin-20.500.11937-917692023-06-06T03:38:48Z In situ SAXS studies of the pore development in biochar during gasification Liu, Y. Paskevicius, Mark Sofianos, M.V. Parkinson, G. Li, Chun-Zhu Science & Technology Physical Sciences Technology Chemistry, Physical Materials Science, Multidisciplinary Chemistry Materials Science In situ SAXS Pore development Selective carbon removal Surface fractal Pore fractal Specific surface area Pore volume Biochar gasification X-RAY-SCATTERING SMALL-ANGLE SCATTERING CARBON-DIOXIDE ACTIVATED CARBONS POROSITY DEVELOPMENT STEAM ACTIVATION CHAR STRUCTURE SURFACE-AREAS PARTICLE-SIZE COAL This work investigates the pore development in biochar during gasification using synchrotron small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) as an in situ characterization technique. The influence of the gasifying agents (H2O, CO2 or H2O/CO2) and temperature on the pore structure development in biochar was studied by carrying out the hour-long gasification of mallee wood biochar (106–250 μm) in: (i) H2O at 700, 800 and 900 °C respectively, (ii) CO2 at 700 and 800 °C, and (iii) a mixture of H2O and CO2 (H2O/CO2) at 800 °C. There was a minor increase in the micro- and mesopore volumes in biochar during gasification in H2O at 700 °C, in contrast to CO2 gasification at the same temperature where no measurable changes to the pore structure were observed. At 800 °C, biochar derived from H2O/CO2 gasification exhibited the highest specific surface area (SSA). CO2 tended to produce a highly microporous biochar with a mesopore network showing pore fractal features. Micropore enlargement was a major process in the presence of H2O. In this case, the pore structure evolved from being a porous network of branched micropore clusters (pore fractal) to being dominated by rough surfaced mesopores (surface fractal) during gasification in H2O and H2O/CO2. The evolution of pore structures result from the different ways in which carbon atoms were removed by either H2O or CO2. H2O is more reactive and less selective towards reacting with biochar, resulting in a less worm-like network of pores than CO2. Moreover, it was found that increasing temperatures can lead to faster rates of pore generation and pore enlargement, which is attributed to the increased reaction rate and the less selective removal of carbon atoms. 2021 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/91769 10.1016/j.carbon.2020.10.028 English http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP180101788 http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/FT160100303 PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD fulltext
spellingShingle Science & Technology
Physical Sciences
Technology
Chemistry, Physical
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Chemistry
Materials Science
In situ
SAXS
Pore development
Selective carbon removal
Surface fractal
Pore fractal
Specific surface area
Pore volume
Biochar gasification
X-RAY-SCATTERING
SMALL-ANGLE SCATTERING
CARBON-DIOXIDE
ACTIVATED CARBONS
POROSITY DEVELOPMENT
STEAM ACTIVATION
CHAR STRUCTURE
SURFACE-AREAS
PARTICLE-SIZE
COAL
Liu, Y.
Paskevicius, Mark
Sofianos, M.V.
Parkinson, G.
Li, Chun-Zhu
In situ SAXS studies of the pore development in biochar during gasification
title In situ SAXS studies of the pore development in biochar during gasification
title_full In situ SAXS studies of the pore development in biochar during gasification
title_fullStr In situ SAXS studies of the pore development in biochar during gasification
title_full_unstemmed In situ SAXS studies of the pore development in biochar during gasification
title_short In situ SAXS studies of the pore development in biochar during gasification
title_sort in situ saxs studies of the pore development in biochar during gasification
topic Science & Technology
Physical Sciences
Technology
Chemistry, Physical
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Chemistry
Materials Science
In situ
SAXS
Pore development
Selective carbon removal
Surface fractal
Pore fractal
Specific surface area
Pore volume
Biochar gasification
X-RAY-SCATTERING
SMALL-ANGLE SCATTERING
CARBON-DIOXIDE
ACTIVATED CARBONS
POROSITY DEVELOPMENT
STEAM ACTIVATION
CHAR STRUCTURE
SURFACE-AREAS
PARTICLE-SIZE
COAL
url http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP180101788
http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP180101788
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/91769