Application of Nanoporous Carbon, Extracted from Biomass Combustion Ash, in CO2 Adsorption

Abstract

Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage has been regarded as one of the most prominent technologies in the battle against climate change as stated in the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports. However, solid residues generated during the combustion of biomass pose a separate set of environmental and economic challenges that must be addressed. In order to utilise the full potential of this waste stream, an effective nanoporous carbonaceous adsorbent for CO <inf xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</inf> capture has been directly prepared via a simple and low-cost extraction technique from industrial-grade biomass combustion bottom ash generated at a UK power plant. The adsorbent characterisation data (via Scanning Electron Microscopy-Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy as well as Fourier- Transform Infrared Spectroscopy) agrees well with the CO <inf xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</inf> adsorption curves obtained through thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The TGA results have revealed a CO <inf xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</inf> adsorption capacity of 0.73 mmol/g at 25°C and 1 atm under a pure CO <inf xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</inf> gas stream, thus, proposing a promising and viable route towards in-situ decarbonisation of the biomass combustion sector in the UK via effective waste valorisation.