Biomass Raw Materials Research Articles

Efficient synthesis of 2,5‐furandicarboxylic acid from corncob biomass using Ru/C and sulfonated carbon catalysts in a one‐pot system

AbstractThis study proposes a novel one‐pot method to produce 2,5‐furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA), which effectively simplifies the preparation process of FDCA by directly utilizing the biomass raw material corncob and its derived carbon‐based catalysts. In this work, we first prepared two different carbon‐based catalysts from corncobs: a ruthenium‐supported catalyst (Ru/C) and a sulfonated carbon catalyst. After detailed characterization and performance testing, these two catalysts were used to catalyze the pretreated corncob mixture to produce FDCA. Under optimized conditions, even using 0.12 g of Ru/C catalyst at a microwave power of 200 W, the yield of FDCA can reach 27 mol%. In comparison, the FDCA yield of the sulfonated carbon catalyst under the same conditions was 19 mol%. This work not only demonstrates the possibility of efficient production of FDCA by utilizing biomass resources and a simplified chemical conversion process, but also highlights the importance of selecting appropriate catalysts and controlling reaction conditions in improving yields. Through this method, we can promote the development of biomass conversion technology in a more efficient and environmentally friendly direction, providing technical support for the commercial production of bio‐based chemicals.

Preparation and Characterization of Glucose-Based Self-Blowing Non-Isocyanate Polyurethane (NIPU) Foams with Different Acid Catalysts.

The preparation and application of non-isocyanate polyurethane (NIPU) from biomass raw materials as a substitute for traditional polyurethane (PU) has recently become a research hot topic as it avoids the toxicity and moisture sensitivity of isocyanate-based PU. In the work presented here, self-blowing GNIPU non-isocyanate polyurethane (NIPU) rigid foams were prepared at room temperature, based on glucose, with acids as catalysts and glutaraldehyde as a cross-linker. The effects of different acids and glutaraldehyde addition on foam morphology and properties were investigated. The water absorption, compressive resistance, fire resistance, and limiting oxygen index (LOI) were tested to evaluate the relevant properties of the foams, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to observe the foams' cell structure. The results show that all these foams have a similar apparent density, while their 24 h water absorption is different. The foam prepared with phosphoric acid as a catalyst presented a better compressive strength compared to the other types prepared with different catalysts when above 65% compression. It also presents the best fire resistance with an LOI value of 24.3% (great than 22%), indicating that it possesses a good level of flame retardancy. Thermogravimetric analysis also showed that phosphoric acid catalysis slightly improved the GNIPU foams' thermal stability. This is mainly due to the flame-retardant effect of the phosphate ion. In addition, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results showed that all the GNIPU foams exhibited similar open-cell morphologies with the cell pore sizes mainly distributed in the 200-250 μm range.

Effect of modifiers on Cr (VI) adsorption performance of activated modified-hydrochars

Hexavalent chromium (Cr (VI)) is high toxic and solubility in aquatic systems, which has attracted severe environment issues. In this work, corn straw, as raw biomass material, was modified by citric acid, ZnCl2, NaOH, or (NH4)2Fe(SO4)2 via hydrothermal carbonization process, and further activated by KOH to obtain the activated modified-hydrochars. The influence of different modifiers on the Cr (VI) adsorption performance for activated modified-hydrochars was investigated by controlling adsorbent dosages, adsorption time and different Cr (VI) concentrations at pH of 3.0 under room temperature. Among these absorbents, the activated modified-hydrochar modified by ZnCl2 possessed the excellent microporous characteristics and a high specific surface area of 1532.904 m2 g-1, thus exhibiting the Cr (VI) removal rate of 99.6wt.%. Cr (VI) was reduced to Cr (III) by -OH of activated modified-hydrochars during the Cr (VI) adsorption experiments. Due to higher R2 (>0.99) by kinetics analysis, pseudo-second-order kinetics was confirmed and further the Cr (VI) removal for the activated modified-hydrochars was a chemical adsorption process. The regression coefficients (R2) of the Langmuir model for all activated modified-hydrochars were higher than those of Freundlich model, which meant that Langmuir monolayer chemisorption was more consistent with the Cr (VI) adsorption process in this work.

Modification of activated carbon through chemical-physical activation method with KOH and 60Co gamma irradiation from banana leaf waste

Abstract Until now waste is still a problem in many big cities in Indonesia. In addition, the amount of waste increases as the population increases. Banana leaf waste is no exception, which is included in other types of waste, which accounts for 6.33% of the total waste in Indonesia in 2022. Utilization of banana leaf waste as a raw material for activated carbon production can also be an alternative to reducing the amount of wasted banana leaf waste because they contain various kinds of organic compounds. Activated carbon is widely used as an adsorbent in various sectors, especially in the industrial sector. Production of activated carbon must go through an activation process to enlarge the surface pores either chemically or physically, or even both. This study aims to compare the results of activated carbon surface area and functional groups using the chemical-physical activation method from banana leaf biomass raw materials with KOH and gamma irradiation at various doses. The research method used is an experimental method consisting of 4 stages: dehydration, carbonization, activation, and characterization. The research was started by dehydrating the leaves and continued with the carbonization stage at 350°C for 30 minutes. Carbon was divided into four samples that consisted of 1 blank and 3 test materials that activated with 30% (w/v) KOH solution for 24 hours and gamma-irradiated with a dose of 10, 30, and 50 kGy. Results were characterized using FTIR and BET. The effect of gamma 60Co irradiation on the activated carbon material from banana leaf waste can increase the peak transmittance value of the activated carbon functional group due to the formation and reaction of free radicals on its surface. Increase in the surface area (from 6.504 to 24.04 m2/g) is also associated with an increase in the absorbed dose due to the formation of more free radicals. However, the surface area obtained is not as expected due to the possibility of pore blockage and excessive activation time, which causes the surface area of the material to be small.

Lignocellulose hydrothermal artificial humic acid production: Reaction parameters screening and investigation of model/real feedstock

Utilizing relatively mild hydrothermal conversion technique (under optimized conditions, 200 °C, 4 h, 1:10 solid-liquid ratio, 0.5 M NaOH), lignocellulosic biomass can be efficiently transformed into humic acids, thereby significantly enhancing its utilization. Additionally, this approach provides a means for precise manipulation of the composition and properties of the resulting humic acids. In this comprehensive study, lignocellulosic biomass, comprising various attributes like coniferous, broadleaf, and grassy species, as well as model components like cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, underwent hydrothermal reactions to produce humic acids. Firstly, a systematic evaluation was conducted to determine the influence of operational parameters on the formation of humic acids. Subsequently, the characteristics of humic acids derived from diverse lignocellulosic biomass sources were analyzed and benchmarked against commercial humic acids. Based on the empirical findings, a mechanistic pathway for the generation of humic acids was figured out. The results indicate that the primary stages in the hydrothermal conversion of lignocellulosic biomass to humic acids involve initial hydrolysis into smaller molecular components, followed by further reactions leading to the formation of humic acids. Notably, the interplay between cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, and other minor components, such as tannins and pectins, plays a pivotal role in the synthesis of humic acids. The characterization of the derived humic acids revealed several noteworthy distinctions from commercial products. In the infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and elemental analysis (EA) characterization, the synthetic humic acid has more oxygen functional groups, alkane groups and aromatic structures. In the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), the synthetic humic acid has more diverse forms and proportions of elements. In thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), the synthesized humic acid has higher thermal stability. The synthetic humic acid has a rougher surface microstructure. The synthetic humic acid has higher fluorescence intensity in three-dimensional fluorescence spectrum (3D EEM). Lignocellulose biomass raw materials with high wood quality content can obtain higher humic acid yield, but the interaction of cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin and other group components (such as tannins, pectin, etc.) in the hydrothermal process plays an important role in the generation of humic acid. This research offers valuable insights into the chemically driven production of humic acids and the strategic control of their properties, based on the structural and compositional nuances of the raw materials.

Removal of quinoline in aqueous solutions using chemically modified and unmodified hydrochars from lotus seedpods: A comprehensive experimental study

In this study, a novel hydrochar adsorbent derived from lotus seedpods was synthesized and subsequently modified to enhance its adsorption efficiency for quinoline contaminated wastewater. Using lotus seedpods as biomass raw material, lotus seedpod hydrochar (LSH) was prepared by hydrothermal carbonization method, and it was modified with hydrochloric acid (HA) and phosphoric acid (PA) as modifiers to improve adsorption efficiency. The adsorption kinetics and isotherms of quinoline on both the unmodified and modified hydrochars were studied in detail to elucidate the underlying adsorption mechanisms. Furthermore, the effect of coexisting organic pollutants, i.e. phenol and pyridine, commonly found in coking effluents, on the quinoline adsorption efficiency of hydrochar was investigated. The regenerative potential of the adsorbent was explored through desorption studies to assess the reusability and practicality of hydrochar post-adsorption. The optimal conditions for modified LSH were determined as follows: an adsorbent dosage of 3 g/L, pH of 3, an initial quinoline concentration of 200 mg/L, and a contact time of 90 minutes. The maximum adsorption capacities for PA-LSH and HA-LSH were 48.59 mg/g and 49.12 mg/g, respectively. Among the types of modification agents, acid modifiers, particularly 20 % phosphoric acid and 20 % hydrochloric acid, significantly enhanced the adsorption efficiency, increasing the adsorption rates by 24.24 % and 14.56 %, respectively, compared to unmodified hydrochar (64.06 %). Coexisting pollutants minimally affected quinoline adsorption, with phosphoric acid-modified hydrochar maintaining 80.33 % removal in simulated coking wastewater. Regeneration with hydrochloric acid showed improved utility, with modified hydrochar sustaining over 80 % adsorption after three cycles. This research not only presents an innovative approach to the development of efficient adsorbents for quinoline removal, but also provides insight into the adsorption behavior of hydrochar in the complex wastewater systems. The findings contribute to both the advancement of sustainable water treatment technologies and the use of biomass-derived materials for environmental remediation. As such, this work holds promise for applications in wastewater treatment and environmental remediation.

Biomass: The accelerator for moving MOFs to practical applications

Mitigating the increasingly prominent energy and environmental issues arising from the rapid expansion of industry through the realization of green and sustainable development has become a global focus. Compared to traditional fossil energy sources, biomass resources offer a diverse range of supply channels. Therefore, in an industrial system dominated by fossil energy, the deep exploration and utilization of biomass resources are crucial for environmental restoration. Against the backdrop of “carbon peaking” and “carbon neutrality,” replacing traditional fossil fuels with biomass resources presents broad application prospects, promoting the utilization of environmental resources and pointing the way towards future green and circular development. Metal-organic Frameworks (MOFs), characterized by their high specific surface area, large porosity, and tunable properties, have garnered significant attention. However, due to the inherent powdered nature of MOFs, they pose challenges in practical applications, such as difficulties in recovery, pipeline blockages, and even secondary pollution. This issue can be addressed by compositing MOFs with other eco-friendly and renewable materials. Biomass resources are precisely such eco-friendly and renewable materials. Biomass/MOF composites, formed by integrating biomass with MOFs, combine the advantages of both materials, thereby expanding their practical application domains. This review explores the methods of preparing and applying functionalized new materials facilitated by the incorporation of biomass into MOFs, starting from various biomass raw materials. It thoroughly summarizes the research advancements of such materials in adsorption, catalysis, sensing, energy, and other fields. Additionally, it provides constructive suggestions on the issues encountered during the preparation and application processes, offering a scientific basis for researchers in designing and developing novel biomass/MOF composite materials.Abbreviations: MOFs, Metal-Organic Frameworks; NRs, combined with nanorods; PSM, post-synthetic modification; –OH, hydroxyl; –COOH, carboxyl; –CHO, aldehyde; MB, methylene blue; MD-Wood, modified wood; MS, cell walls of waste corn stalks; CS, corn stalks; PS, pine sawdust; PMS, peroxymonosulfate; OTC, oxytetracycline; DFT, density functional theory; AAMOFs, Amino acid metal–organic frameworks; SO, sage; CO, calendula; hetero-fNCs, flexible nitrogen-doped carbon heterostructures; BUBS, bionic ultra-black sponge; SO4•−, sulfate radicals; MN, melanin nanoparticles; CMC, carboxymethyl cellulose; ACW, eutrophic water; DC, desert cyanobacteria.

Distribution and potential assessment of biomass raw material resources in the Inner Mongolia region

Abstract With the national energy transition and upgrading, the development of clean energy has attracted significant attention. Among these, agricultural biomass energy plays a crucial role in realizing a low-carbon transition. Taking the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region as a case study, this research assesses and analyzes the potential of biomass availability in agricultural waste by introducing net biomass calculation. It also examines the overall characteristics of the spatial distribution of available biomass resources in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region using GIS software. The results indicate that in 2022, the total amount of straw resources in Inner Mongolia will reach 48, 926, 800, 000 tons, with 24, 198, 900, 000 tons of available biomass energy. Additionally, the dry matter content of livestock and poultry waste is estimated at 28, 198, 000, 000 tons, with 14, 233, 200, 200 tons of available biomass energy. Geospatial analysis reveals a decreasing trend in the regional distribution of available biomass resources from the northeast to the southwest. Furthermore, this paper analyzes various biomass utilization methods. It is estimated that biomass resources can reduce carbon emissions by 913.72 tons if used for biomass power generation. Biomass can also be utilized in pyrolysis and gasification processes. Through these conversion technologies, approximately 2562.62 tons of available biomass in the Inner Mongolia region can be converted. In the benefit analysis, the Inner Mongolia region demonstrates a good economic and environmental situation, with an estimated economic benefit and environmental situation, with an estimated economic benefit of about 70-17 million yuan. Overall, agricultural biomass feedstocks in Inner Mongolia hold significant potential for achieving the dual-carbon goals. Relevant departments should intensify their research and development efforts to promote green agriculture and realize sustainable development.

Study of UV-cured tung oil-based polyalcohol resin with isophorone diisocyanate as crosslinker

Petroleum-based resins are associated with increasing energy demands and biodegradability issues. Resins produced from biomass raw materials are a suitable alternative and hold significant potential across various applications, including the manufacture of molding materials, oil-based resins, and adhesives. Particularly in the field of coatings, biomass-based resins are recognized for their environmental friendliness and renewability, although there remains room for improvement in terms of strength and curing speed compared with petroleum-based resins. In this study, we developed a high-strength tung oil-based polyurethane photocurable resin (TOPP). To produce the resin, tung oil was first converted into tung oil polyol, and then acrylic ester along with isophorone diisocyanate was used as a bridging agent to confer photocuring properties. Analysis via infrared and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy confirmed the TOPP structure and demonstrated the reaction of carbon–carbon double bonds to form polyol. TOPP exhibited impressive mechanical properties, including a tensile strength of 21.02 MPa and an elastic modulus of 954.63 MPa, achieved through the optimization of the amount of hydroxyethyl methacrylate added. Additionally, TOPP exhibited excellent hydrophobicity with a maximum water contact angle of 88.78° and a low thermal conductivity of 0.26 W·(mK)−1. As a wood coating, TOPP significantly enhanced resistance to oil and improved waterproof performance. The curing speed was notably accelerated without emissions of volatile solvents, which demonstrates the substantial potential of the resin for coating applications on wooden products, particularly in the furniture industry.

Transcriptome-wide analysis of a superior xylan degrading isolate Penicillium oxalicum 5-18 revealed active lignocellulosic degrading genes.

Lignocellulose biomass raw materials have a high value in energy conversion. Recently, there has been growing interest in using microorganisms to secret a series of enzymes for converting low-cost biomass into high-value products such as biofuels. We previously isolated a strain of Penicillium oxalicun 5-18 with promising lignocellulose-degrading capability. However, the mechanisms of lignocellulosic degradation of this fungus on various substrates are still unclear. In this study, we performed transcriptome-wide profiling and comparative analysis of strain 5-18 cultivated in liquid media with glucose (Glu), xylan (Xyl) or wheat bran (WB) as sole carbon source. In comparison to Glu culture, the number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) induced by WB and Xyl was 4134 and 1484, respectively, with 1176 and 868 genes upregulated. Identified DEGs were enriched in many of the same pathways in both comparison groups (WB vs. Glu and Xly vs. Glu). Specially, 118 and 82 CAZyme coding genes were highly upregulated in WB and Xyl cultures, respectively. Some specific pathways including (Hemi)cellulose metabolic processes were enriched in both comparison groups. The high upregulation of these genes also confirmed the ability of strain 5-18 to degrade lignocellulose. Co-expression and co-upregulated of genes encoding CE and AA CAZy families, as well as other (hemi)cellulase revealed a complex degradation strategy in this strain. Our findings provide new insights into critical genes, key pathways and enzyme arsenal involved in the biomass degradation of P. oxalicum 5-18.

The fuel property and application prospect of water-containing biofuel from Clostridium acetobutylicum fermentation products

Biobutanol, a promising green alternative fuel, fermented from Clostridium acetobutylicum, while its high-cost and limited yield constraining its development. ABE (acetone-butanol-ethanol) and IBE (isopropanol-butanol-ethanol) are mixed fermentation products from non-edible biomass raw materials, using them together with water as alternative fuels will reduce industrial production costs and save fossil fuels. Therefore, this study conducted a multifaceted experimental evaluation on ABE/IBE mixed fuels with different water content, demonstrating that it has good water holding capacity when mixed with traditional fossil fuels. Taking ABE (3: 6: 1) as an example, its water holding capacity after mixing with diesel at 10–90 % is 0.37–7.83 % at 20 °C. Meanwhile, the particle size of ABE/IBE mixed fuels is about 2–30 nm, exhibiting a microemulsion with thermodynamic stability. The anhydrous or water-containing mixed fuel with the ratio of ABE (IBE) of 10%–50 % meets the range of the density and kinematic viscosity of diesel engine fuel. The mixed fuel is non-corrosive to copper without water, and a water content of about 3 % or higher will increase the risk of engine corrosion at 20 °C. Despite the addition of biofuel and water, studies on energy combustion performance and pollutant emission performance have found that appropriate addition of biofuel and water can produce higher power output and lower pollutant emissions than traditional fossil fuels, with ABE20W0.5 being the optimal. This study demonstrates the great potential of ABE and IBE as biofuels to achieve carbon neutrality goals, providing novel research direction for green alternative fuels in the future.

Structurability of microalgae, soy and pea protein for extruded high-moisture meat analogues

Despite ecological and nutritional benefits, food ingredients derived from microalgae remain a niche market. A contributing factor to this is the lack of knowledge to exploit their techno-functional properties. This research investigated the structurability of Auxenochlorella protothecoides microalgal biomass during high moisture extrusion cooking for meat analogues. The fibrous extrudate structure weakened with increasing A. protothecoides content in the recipe. To scrutinise reasons for this phenomenon, a thorough compositional comparison of microalgal biomass and conventional raw materials from soy and pea was performed. The identified macrocompositional differences were shown to exert only a minor impact on fibrous structure formation. Thus, structurability appears to be predominately influenced by protein composition, protein properties and electrolyte environment. The proteins of the analysed microalgal biomass were 20 % smaller in molecular weight, had 18–68 % higher solubility and contained 15–50 % less hydrophobic sidechains, all of which may impede protein interaction potential and thereby network formation. Additionally, the pH of microalgae suspensions was lower, which has a negative impact on disulfide bridge formation. Moreover, the analysed microalgal biomass contained considerable amounts of kosmotropic ions that stabilise individual proteins. Denaturation, pH shift, addition of cysteine, transglutaminase and polyvalent cations were proposed as measures to improve structurability of the microalgae A. protothecoides.

Pomelo peel biomass derived highly active advanced-oxidation-process catalyst: Complete elimination of organic pollutants

The advanced oxidation process (AOPs) is playing an important role in the elimination of hazardous organic pollutants, but the development of inexpensive and highly active advanced catalysts is facing challenges. In this study, a low-cost and readily available agricultural waste resource pomelo peel-flesh (PPF) biomass was used as the basic raw material, and the uniformly dispersed small cobalt nanoparticles were effectively anchored in the biochar derived from pomelo peel-flesh (BDPPF) by impregnation adsorption/complexation combined with heat treatment. Co/BDPPF (BDPPF embedded with Co) can effectively activate peroxymonosulfate (PMS) to SO4·-, ·OH and 1O2 reactive oxygen species, and achieve nearly 100% degradation of tetracycline persistent organic pollutant. Co/BDPPF can not only degrade tetracycline efficiently in complex water environment, but also degrade most organic pollutants universally, and has long-term stability, which solves the problem of poor universality and stability of heterogeneous catalysts to a certain extent. Importantly, Co/BDPPF derived from waste biomass was also innovatively designed as the core of an integrated continuous purification device to achieve continuous purification of organic wastewater. In this study, agricultural waste resources were selected as biomass raw materials to achieve efficient capture of Co2+, and finally developed advanced AOPs catalyst with excellent performance to achieve the purification of organic wastewater. It also provides a promising solution for the preparation of simple, low-cost, large-scale production of AOPs catalysts that can be put into actual production.

The effect of biochar types on carbon cycles in farmland soils: A meta analysis

Application of biochar has been demonstrated to be a successful strategy for boosting soil carbon sequestration and altering the agricultural soil carbon cycle. However, in the studies involving biochar worldwide, the effects of different types of biochar on the soil carbon component response direction and increase are not consistent. Therefore, to assess the effects of applying four types of biochar during the soil carbon cycle on carbon components on a farmland, we performed a meta-analysis of 1150 comparisons from 86 peer-reviewed publications. Generally speaking, the types of biochar raw materials have a significant impact on soil carbon cycle. The application of chaff biochar significantly inhibited (10.0 %) soil respiration, while the application of manure biochar (47.0 %), straw biochar (11.2 %) and wood biochar (8.7 %) showed a strong promotion effect on CO2 emission. In addition, although the soil organic C, microbial biomass C and dissolved organic C all had positive responses to the application of the four biochar types, the degree and increase in their response varied greatly due to the differences in biomass raw materials. Moreover, by increasing the biochar rates applied to coarse-textured soils with low average annual rainfall and an average temperature under controlled circumstances, the relative increase in SOC was encouraged. Meanwhile, applying low temperature pyrolytic biochar (≤400 °C) at a lower rate (<25 t/ha) in the long-term experiment (>3 years) is more beneficial to soil C sequestration and emission reduction. Hence, climatic conditions, agricultural management practices, and initial soil properties jointly constrained and influenced the ability of biochar to alter the soil C cycle. Based on this, our research offers a fresh viewpoint for making a profound study biochar-enhanced soil C cycle.

Sequentially optimized process towards sustainable synthesis of activated carbon from wild thornbush for 4-nitrophenol and industrial effluent treatment.

Environmental nuisance thornbush Prosopis juliflora was utilized as an inexpensive and renewable biomass raw material for the sustainable production of activated carbon. Previously, the sequential muffle furnace-microwave arrangement was effective with acid activation for activated carbon synthesis. However, the intermediate synthesis steps were not optimized. In this work, we have optimized the intermediate steps, viz. chemical impregnation, carbonization, and microwave activation. Sequential optimization for base activation was developed and compared with acid activation. The base-activated carbon (BAC) exhibited a more crystalline nature and faster uptake kinetics than AAC. BAC demonstrated an adsorption capacity of 576mg/g for 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) surpassing that of optimized acid-activated carbon (AAC) by 45%. The optimal base activation required 1.85 times lower microwave energy than that of the acid activation. BAC exhibited significantly higher BET surface area (1319 m2/g) and micropore volume (0.524 cm3/g) which were about 28% and 26% higher than those of AAC. When compared to biochar obtained from the same thornbush, the BAC exhibited an 11-fold increase in adsorption capacity. The adsorbents could be easily regenerated with ethanol and used up to five cycles. Adsorption using BAC also could achieve 80% COD removal for industrial wastewater, while AAC led to 61% removal. Continuous packed column with BAC revealed a breakthrough time of 3.5h for industrial effluent while for 500mg/L 4-nitrophenol, it was 25h. Prosopis juliflora thornbush, an environmental nuisance, could be converted into a high-capacity adsorbent for environmental remediation after careful sequencing and optimization of the intermediate synthesis steps.

Development and Characterization of Bio-Based Formaldehyde Free Sucrose-Based Adhesive for Fabrication of Plywood.

In order to solve the problem of excessive consumption of petrochemical resources and the harm of free formaldehyde release to human health, biomass raw materials, such as sucrose (S) and ammonium dihydrogen phosphate (ADP) can be chemically condensed in a simple route under acidic conditions to produce a formaldehyde free wood adhesive (S-ADP), characterized by good storage stability and water resistance, and higher wet shear strength with respect to petroleum based phenolic resin adhesive. The dry and boiling shear strength of the plywood based on S-ADP adhesive are as high as 1.05 MPa and 1.19 MPa, respectively. Moreover, is Modulus of Elasticity (MOE) is as high as 4910 MPa. Interestingly, the plywood based on the developed S-ADP adhesive exhibited good flame retardancy. After burning for 90 s, its shape remains unchanged. Meanwhile, it can be concluded from thermomechanical analysis (TMA) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) that the S-ADP acquired excellent modulus of elasticity (MOE) and good thermal stability. It is thus thought promisingly that the use of S-ADP adhesive as a substitute for PF resin adhesive seems feasible in the near future.

Prediction of bio-oil yield by machine learning model based on 'enhanced data' training

Bio-oil is widely used and has great application potential. With the development of artificial intelligence, machine learning has been gradually applied in the field of biomass, the data augmentation method is a common operation method for training models in the field of computer or data processing. In this study, the concept of 'enhanced data' was proposed for the first time. According to the composition characteristics of biomass raw materials, the sample data were divided into three different sample sets. Based on the light gradient boosting machine (Light GBM) and deep neural network (DNN) algorithm, a prediction model of bio-oil yield was established. Combined with the analysis of partial correlation, the influence of 'enhanced data' on the prediction accuracy of the model was explored. The results showed that the prediction accuracy of the model was improved to a certain extent after adding 'enhanced data'. The Light GBM model was more suitable for predicting bio-oil yield, and the Light GBM _ c model performed best, with R2 of 0.894, MAE of 3.622, and RMSE of 4.445. At the same time, this study also has certain reference significance for other prediction studies in the field of biomass thermochemical conversion.

A supramolecular approach for converting renewable biomass into functional materials.

The rational transformation and utilization of biomass have attracted increasing attention because of its high importance in sustainable development and green economy. In this study, we used a supramolecular approach to convert biomass into functional materials. Six biomass raw materials with distinct chemical structures and physical properties were copolymerized with thioctic acid (TA) to afford poly[TA-biomass]s. The solvent-free copolymerization leads to the convenient and quantitative fabrication of biomass-based versatile materials. The non-covalent bonding and reversible solid-liquid transitions in poly[TA-biomass]s endow them with diversified features, including thermal processability, 3D printing, wet and dry adhesion, recyclability, impact resistance, and antimicrobial activity. Benefiting from their good biocompatibility and nontoxicity, these biomass-based materials are promising candidates for biological applications.

The effect of hydrogen peroxide treatment on functional properties of paddy husk biochar and its application for wastewater treatment

Paddy husk is one of the biomass raw materials and byproducts of the rice production and processing industry. It is very much abundant in Sri Lanka, which is readily available as an energy source. Paddy husk contains silica as a special characteristic component. Application of paddy husk is novel in Sri Lanka. Though it has perceived implications, the process may impose limitations in its application. Appropriate knowledge of the functional properties of paddy husk is required for applying them in thermochemical conversion processes like pyrolysis. The ultimate objective of this study is to identify the effectiveness of wastewater treatment using biochar, derived from H2O2-treated paddy husk. The changes in functional properties: moisture content, proximate analysis, true density, bulk density, and porosity of paddy husks, before and after H2O2 treatment were evaluated in this study. Two main variables: concentration of H2O2 and treatment temperature, were considered. The H2O2 treatment method was investigated to remove the lignin distributed in the lignocellulosic matrix of paddy husk. The results obtained from this experimental study showed that there was a significant difference in the functional properties of the paddy husk after H2O2 treatment. The biosorbent adsorption process is the finest treatment method, for the removal of methylene blue dye. The use of H2O2-treated paddy husk bio sorbent as an alternative cost-effective adsorbent in the removal of methylene blue has been extensively studied and compiled. Biochar as a firm carbonaceous material shows reasonable potential to oversee wastewater contaminants, due to induced pore spaces that are responsible for the removal of contaminants.

Removing Norfloxacin from Aqueous Solutions Using Biochar Derived from Waste Disposable Bamboo Chopsticks

The presence of antibiotics in water environments increases the resistance of bacterial and can also cause irreversible damage to ecosystems and the human body. In this study, disposable bamboo chopsticks were used as raw material to prepare bamboo biochar (BB) via oxygen-limited pyrolysis to remove norfloxacin (NOR) from aqueous solutions. The properties of the BB were explained through the characterization of its SBET, morphology, structure, and functional groups. The effects of the dosage, pH, ionic strength, and water type on the removal of NOR using BB were investigated. The maximum theoretical adsorption capacities (Qmax) of NOR removed by BB at 25, 35, and 45 °C obtained using the Langmuir model were 76.17, 77.22, and 105.19 mg/g, respectively. To facilitate a comparison with other types of biochar, this study also prepared biochar of rice straw, wheat straw, soybean straw, corn straw, rape straw, peanut shell, Eichhornia crassipes, and other biomass raw materials under the same preparation conditions as the BB. The results demonstrated that the removal rate of NOR using BB was the highest under the same adsorption conditions, reaching 99.71%. Biochar from waste disposable bamboo chopsticks can be used for the treatment of new types of pollutants in water bodies, such as antibiotics and other organic contaminants, which will help to achieve sustainable solid waste management.