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Elaboration of Functional Materials and Valuable Molecules from Biomass

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2023) | Viewed by 7387

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Lionel Limousy

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Guest Editor

Université de Haute-Alsace, Université de Strasbourg, IS2M, CNRS, UMR7361, 3b rue Alfred Werner, F68100 Mulhouse, France
Interests: Biomass conversion and valorization; carbon materials; biological and physicochemical wastewater treatments; adsorption of pollutants; chemical engineering and processing; batch and continuous reactors; design synthesis and characterization of carbon adsorbents (chars, activated carbons, composite materials)
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Dr. Nicolas Thevenin

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Guest Editor Assistant

RITTMO Agroenvironnement, Private Research Centre (CRT label), ZA Biopôle, 7 rue de Herrlisheim, F68025 Colmar, France
Interests: biomass conversion and valorization; bioprocessing for fertilizer production; molecule extraction from biomass; biological and physical solid waste treatments; end of life of materials; carbon sequestration

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The conversion of biomass into valuable products and materials has been paid much attention these past twenty years. Among the various sources of biomass, wood chips, sawdust, agricultural residues and aquatic plants have been widely used to extract or convert specific substances in order to obtain valuable molecules for different kinds of applications (fuels, cosmetics, fine chemistry, adhesives, medicals, textiles, additives, etc.). The potential of biomass is still huge since there are more than 350,000 plant species known and more than 2000 new species are discovered each year. The thermochemical conversion of biomass has also been widely studied since it leads to the combined production of gas, liquid and solid products that can be used for different applications. Bio-oil, biochar, activated carbons and syngas are the main by-products that originate from pyrolysis. Epuration, purification, functionalization and other unit operations are necessary to elaborate valuable products with high added value.

Both laboratory and pilot-scale experimental works will be considered for this Special Issue. We welcome the submission of papers coming from different fields of research: material science, chemical engineering and bioprocessing, agriculture, food and beverage, chemistry and biochemistry.

The theme of the SI is devoted to the production and the functionalization of materials from biomass (carbon, composites, hybrids, polymers, etc.) through specific processes. Among the topics of interest, specific attention will be given to papers related to:

The development of innovative processes for the extraction and/or production of valuable molecules from biomass;
The elaboration of bio-sourced materials from different biomasses (polymers, composites, biochars, hydrochars, activated carbons, etc.) and their applications;
Use of microorganisms/enzymes for the conversion of biomass into platform molecules;
Carbon sequestration through the use of biomass for replacing specific materials (building, soil applications, etc.).

The selected papers will describe the strategies adopted to develop original approaches to:

Produce bio-molecules and elaborate biosourced materials;
Optimize and implement new (bio)processes;
Give new approaches to biomass valorization and carbon sequestration.

In this context, and according to the topics listed above, authors are encouraged to provide original papers for this SI, circular economy approach is also of interest.

Dr. Lionel Limousy
Guest Editor

Dr. Nicolas Thevenin
Guest Editor Assistant

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Materials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

woody biomass
agricultural biomass
aquatic biomass
biochar
activated carbon
biosourced materials
functional materials
carbon sequestration
circular economy

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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25 pages, 5625 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Unveiling the Potential of Corn Cob Biochar: Analysis of Microstructure and Composition with Emphasis on Interaction with NO₂

by Méghane Drané, Mohamed Zbair, Samar Hajjar-Garreau, Ludovic Josien, Laure Michelin, Simona Bennici and Lionel Limousy

Materials 2024, 17(1), 159; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17010159 - 28 Dec 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1088

Abstract

In the context of sustainable solutions, this study examines the pyrolysis process applied to corn cobs, with the aim of producing biochar and assessing its effectiveness in combating air pollution. In particular, it examines the influence of different pyrolysis temperatures on biochar properties. The results reveal a temperature-dependent trend in biochar yield, which peaks at 400 °C, accompanied by changes in elemental composition indicating increased stability and extended shelf life. In addition, high pyrolysis temperatures, above 400 °C, produce biochars with enlarged surfaces and improved pore structures. Notably, the highest pyrolysis temperature explored in this study is 600 °C, which significantly influences the observed properties of biochars. This study also explores the potential of biochar as an NO₂ adsorbent, as identified by chemical interactions revealed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis. This research presents a promising and sustainable approach to tackling air pollution using corn cob biochar, providing insight into optimized production methods and its potential application as an effective NO₂ adsorbent to improve air quality. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Elaboration of Functional Materials and Valuable Molecules from Biomass)

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14 pages, 1730 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Biochar and Organic Fertilizer Co-Application Enhances Soil Carbon Priming, Increasing CO₂ Fluxes in Two Contrasting Arable Soils

by Magdalena Bednik, Agnieszka Medyńska-Juraszek and Irmina Ćwieląg-Piasecka

Materials 2023, 16(21), 6950; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16216950 - 30 Oct 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1044

Abstract

Biochar soil amendments, along with non-tillage agriculture, are often proposed as a strategy for carbon sequestration. It is still questionable how the quality of biochar might influence the priming effect on soil organic matter and whether the addition of unprocessed organic amendments will affect biochar stability. In the study, six different biochars and three exogenous organic matter sources were added to two distinct arable soils. CO₂ emission was monitored for 100 days of incubation and CO₂ flux was estimated. Results showed that biochar increased soil CO₂ fluxes. The highest peaks, up to 162 µg C-CO₂ h⁻¹ 100 g⁻¹, were recorded in treatments with food waste biochars, suggesting that they serve as a source of easily available carbon to soil microbes. Co-application of raw organic materials (manure and fresh clover biomass) enhanced CO₂ emission and carbon losses, especially in sandy soil, where 0.85–1.1% of total carbon was lost in the short-term experiment. Biochar properties and content of labile C can stimulate CO₂ emission; however, in a long-term period, this contribution is negligible. The findings of our study showed that more attention should be paid to priming effects caused by the addition of exogenous organic matter when applied to biochar-amended soils. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Elaboration of Functional Materials and Valuable Molecules from Biomass)

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Review

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30 pages, 1085 KiB

Open AccessReview

Revealing the Adverse Impact of Additive Carbon Material on Microorganisms and Its Implications for Biogas Yields: A Critical Review

by Michał Kozłowski, Chinenye Adaobi Igwegbe, Agata Tarczyńska and Andrzej Białowiec

Materials 2023, 16(23), 7250; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16237250 - 21 Nov 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1263

Abstract

Biochar could be a brilliant additive supporting the anaerobic fermentation process. However, it should be taken into account that in some cases it could also be harmful to microorganisms responsible for biogas production. The negative impact of carbon materials could be a result of an overdose of biochar, high biochar pH, increased arsenic mobility in the methane fermentation solution caused by the carbon material, and low porosity of some carbon materials for microorganisms. Moreover, when biochar is affected by an anaerobic digest solution, it could reduce the biodiversity of microorganisms. The purpose of the article is not to reject the idea of biochar additives to increase the efficiency of biogas production, but to draw attention to the properties and ways of adding these materials that could reduce biogas production. These findings have practical relevance for organizations seeking to implement such systems in industrial or local-scale biogas plants and provide valuable insights for future research. Needless to say, this study will also support the implementation of biogas technologies and waste management in implementing the idea of a circular economy, further emphasizing the significance of the research. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Elaboration of Functional Materials and Valuable Molecules from Biomass)

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42 pages, 4010 KiB

Open AccessReview

A Critical Review of the Removal of Radionuclides from Wastewater Employing Activated Carbon as an Adsorbent

by Anik Chakraborty, Animesh Pal and Bidyut Baran Saha

Materials 2022, 15(24), 8818; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15248818 - 09 Dec 2022

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3164

Abstract

Radionuclide-contaminated water is carcinogenic and poses numerous severe health risks and environmental dangers. The activated carbon (AC)-based adsorption technique has great potential for treating radionuclide-contaminated water due to its simple design, high efficiency, wide pH range, quickness, low cost and environmental friendliness. This critical review first provides a brief overview of the concerned radionuclides with their associated health hazards as well as different removal techniques and their efficacy of removing them. Following this overview, this study summarizes the surface characteristics and adsorption capabilities of AC derived from different biomass precursors. It compares the adsorption performance of AC to other adsorbents, such as zeolite, graphene, carbon nano-tubes and metal–organic frameworks. Furthermore, this study highlights the different factors that influence the physical characteristics of AC and adsorption capacity, including contact time, solution pH, initial concentration of radionuclides, the initial dosage of the adsorbent, and adsorption temperature. The theoretical models of adsorption isotherm and kinetics, along with their fitting parameter values for AC/radionuclide pairs, are also reviewed. Finally, the modification procedures of pristine AC, factors determining AC characteristics and the impact of modifying agents on the adsorption ability of AC are elucidated in this study; therefore, further research and development can be promoted for designing a highly efficient and practical adsorption-based radionuclide removal system. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Elaboration of Functional Materials and Valuable Molecules from Biomass)

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