Sugarcane Bagasse Carbon Research Articles

NiCoP/CoP2 nanoparticles supported on sugarcane bagasse carbon as the electrocatalyst with excellent catalytic performance towards the hydrogen evolution reaction

Sugarcane bagasse carbon (SCBC) was synthesized and used to support NiCoP/CoP2 nanoparticles (NiCoP/CoP2-SCBC), and its electrocatalytic performance for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) was investigated and compared with that of NiCoP/CoP2 nanoparticles and NiCoP/CoP2 nanoparticles supported on carbon black (NiCoP/CoP2-C). Impressively, NiCoP/CoP2-SCBC shows the best electrocatalytic performance for HER with an over-potential of 159.5 mV at 10 mA cm-2 and a Tafel slope of 67.24 mV dec-1, along with the excellent stability. This outstanding performance is partly attributed to the abundant hydroxyl functional groups in SCBC, which can make the catalyst have better dispersion and a higher proportion of Ni2+. In addition, SCBC can lead to more defects in NiCoP/CoP2, and SCBC contains a large number of P elements, which can increase the catalytic active sites and contribute to the fast HER process to some degree.

Preparation of sugarcane bagasse carbon-coated molybdenum phosphide nanocomposite electrocatalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction

The hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) based on electrochemical water decomposition is a promising method for producing clean and sustainable hydrogen energy. However, it is necessary to find high-activity, inexpensive, and durable non-precious metal-based electrocatalysts to realize HER. In this study, we prepared sugarcane bagasse carbon (SCBC) coated molybdenum phosphide nanocatalyst (MoP/SCBC) using a simple method and investigated the HER of the catalyst in acidic media. The MoP nanoparticles were uniformly coated on SCBC to form a unique structure, resulting in excellent electrocatalytic activity and stability of the MoP/SCBC catalyst in 0.5 M H2SO4 solution. The overpotential of the MoP/SCBC-900 catalyst was as low as 126 mV at 10 mA cm−2. The Tafel slope was 60.6 mV dec−1, and the Cdl was 18.83 mF cm−2, which outperformed most reported MoP-based HER catalysts. This study provides a more effective approach for developing high performance MoP based non-precious metal electrocatalysts derived from low-cost biomass.

β-Ni(OH)2 nanoparticles@activated sugarcane bagasse carbon nanocomposites as an advanced hybrid electrode material for asymmetric supercapacitors

β-Ni(OH)2 nanoparticles (NPs)@activated sugarcane bagasse carbon (ASBC) nanocomposites (N@ASBC NCps) with different Ni loadings were synthesized using a hydrothermal process. The products were characterized using techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning and transmission electron microscopy (FE-SEM and TEM), Raman spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Electrochemical performance of the products was studied. Interestingly, the maximum specific capacitance of 1213.32 F/g at 1 A/g could be achieved in a 3N@ASBC NCps positive electrode. Concurrently, the ASBC negative electrode revealed a high specific capacitance of 233.34 F/g at 1 A/g. Additionally, the fabricated asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC), ASC-ASBC//3N@ASBC NCps, had a specific capacitance (Csc) of 34.03 F/g at 1 A/g with a specific energy density (Ed) and specific power density (Pd) of 9.93 Wh/kg and 181.26 W/kg, respectively. Moreover, the device could maintain 69.47% of its capacity after a 5000-cycle test.

Evaluation of the Effect of Particle Size and Biomass-to-Water Ratio on the Hydrothermal Carbonization of Sugarcane Bagasse

The generation of platform chemicals and hydrochar is of great interest because they reduce dependence on fossil resources and contribute to climate change mitigation by reducing carbon emissions. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of biomass particle size and biomass-to-water ratio in a hydrothermal conversion system for the generation of value-added products obtained from sugarcane bagasse. Biomass characterization was performed using proximal, elemental, and structural analysis; hydrothermal carbonization was carried out at 220 and 260 °C for one hour; and conversion was monitored using pH, conductivity, and IR spectroscopy. Platform chemicals were quantified using HPLC-IR. Hydrochars were characterized by using scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy. Optimizing biomass particle size and water ratio is crucial for maximizing the yield of platform chemicals and hydrochar. The study’s outcomes revealed that specific combinations, such as a biomass-to-water ratio of 1:50 and a particle size of 212 μm at 220 °C, resulted in a substantial 31.07% yield of platform chemicals on a dry basis. This highlights the critical role these parameters play in influencing the production efficiency of valuable chemicals. Furthermore, variations in biomass particle size and water ratio also affect the characteristics of hydrochar. For instance, utilizing a biomass-to-water ratio of 1:50 and a larger particle size of 600 μm at 260 °C led to the production of hydrochar with higher carbon content and increased porosity. These findings underscore how adjustments in these factors can impact not only chemical yields, but also the properties and quality of the resulting hydrochar.

Development and characterization of polymeric thermal interface material using aluminized glass fiber, bamboo fiber, and sugarcane bagasse carbon quantum dots

Development and characterization of polymeric thermal interface material using aluminized glass fiber, bamboo fiber, and sugarcane bagasse carbon quantum dots

Ionothermal Carbonization of Sugarcane Bagasse in 1-Alkyl-3-methylimidazolium Ionic Liquids: Insights into the Role of the Chloroferrate Anion.

We report the ionothermal carbonization (ITC) of lignocellulosic biomass in imidazolium tetrachloroferrate ionic liquids (ILs) as an advantageous approach for the preparation of nanostructured carbonaceous materials, namely, ionochars. In a previous study, we investigated the role of the imidazolium cation and demonstrated the possibility of controlling both the textural and morphological properties of ionochars by cation engineering. Although essential for providing intermediate Lewis acidity and relatively high thermal stability, the role of the chloroferrate anion is still open to debate. Herein, we investigated the ITC of sugarcane bagasse and its main component, cellulose, in 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium ILs with different chloroferrate anions. We identified anionic speciation and its impact on the properties of the IL by Raman spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and differential scanning calorimetry. The obtained ionochars were characterized by gas physisorption, electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and 13C solid-state CP-MAS NMR spectroscopy. We show that the anionic species have a predominant impact on the textural and morphological properties of the ionochars.

Three-dimensional cross-linked sugarcane bagasse carbon material: A substitute for graphene with excellent performance in capacitive deionization and highly efficient Cu2+ removal

Capacitive deionization (CDI) is a high-performance, low-energy consumption, and environmentally friendly water treatment technology with a broad application prospect in heavy metal removal. Selecting electrode materials with high capacitance and low resistance is essential for improving CDI's desalting efficiency. This article discusses the utilization of sugarcane bagasse (C-N-X) and the production procedures of CDI materials. The unique 3D cross-linked structure of C-N-X provides excellent mass transfer properties and significant advantages in capacitance and conductivity. The results of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer (FTIR) show that bagasse biochar with graphene-like structure and abundant functional groups provides active sites for Cu2+ removal. In this paper, C-N-X is first used as CDI electrode material to remove Cu2+. Electrochemical tests show that the specific capacitance of C-N-X is still stable at about 47 F g−1, and the removal capacity of Cu2+ (25 mg L−1) reaches 66.79 mg g−1 within 4 h after 700 cycles. The experimental results and DFT calculations confirm the adsorption selectivity of C-N-700 for Cu2+.

Thermally reduced sugarcane bagasse carbon quantum dots and in-plane flax fiber unsaturated polyester composites: surface conductivity and mechanical properties

Thermally reduced sugarcane bagasse carbon quantum dots and in-plane flax fiber unsaturated polyester composites: surface conductivity and mechanical properties

Ionothermal carbonization of sugarcane bagasse in imidazolium tetrachloroferrate ionic liquids: effect of the cation on textural and morphological properties

We demonstrate the possibility to control both textural and morphological properties of ionochars through cation engineering for the ionothermal carbonization of sugarcane bagasse.

Competitive adsorption of anionic and cationic molecules on three activated carbons derived from agroindustrial waste

This study examined the feasibility of sugarcane bagasse (sb), spent coffee-grounds (sg), and orange peel (op) activated carbons for the removal of methyl orange (MO) and methylene blue (MB). For such purpose, individual dye solutions and binary mixtures under different pH and initial concentrations were used. The study was complemented with Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations to assess the carbon surface preference towards a specific molecule. The DFT method, using molecular descriptors, showed a potential application for predicting the order by which the carbons sorb a given set of contaminants. For the three carbon materials studied, the mono-dye experiments adsorption capacities ranged from 60 to 140 mg/g for MB and from 146 to 65 mg/g for MO at pH values of 5, 7 and 9. While the best methylene blue adsorbent was the sugarcane bagasse carbon, the orange peel carbon showed the best methyl orange adsorption capacity. Interestingly, the spent coffee-ground carbon exhibited a balanced behavior when both molecules were added separately. When the dyes were added as a mixture, the three carbons adsorbed methylene blue preferentially over methyl orange. While sb adsorbed up to 75 mg/g of MB and 10 mg/g of MO, op adsorbed 60 mg/g of MB and up to 25 mg/g of MO. The trend displayed in mono-dye systems was kept in binary systems. This is important since real wastewater systems contain mixtures with two or more pollutants. In the case of the binary mixtures, the three activated carbons can adsorb both type of dyes at concentrations up to 300 mg/L, the pH did not affect the MB adsorption, whereas MO uptake was greatly affected at pH > 7. Thus, it is important to study versatile materials obtained from organic wastes capable of removing more than one species from wastewater.

Facile ultrasonic-assisted one-step preparation of sugarcane bagasse carbon sorbent for bio-based odor removal cat litter formulation

To reduce the cost of adsorbents for the removal of cat urine odor there has been concerted research efforts to produce functionalized porous carbon from waste biomass. In this work, a cost-effective and environmentally friendly method was used to prepare a carbon adsorbent (AC-SNP) from sugarcane bagasse through ultrasonic-assisted impregnation of mixed HNO3/H3PO4 on bagasse prior to carbonization. Ultrasonication enhanced structural deformation of bagasse and enriched the N and O-containing groups prior to cabonization which allowed the final carbon material to have increased specific surface area of 1603.1 m2/g and porosity of 1.3858 cm3·g−1 (including micro- and meso-pores), and increased surface functionality of -COOH, -OH, pyrrolic N, and pyridinic N groups. The adsorption capacity of the carbon material for 3-mercapto-3-methyl-1-butanol (MMB), a volatile cat urine component, was up to 207.12 mg/g at 25 °C, and the heterogenous multi-layer Freundlich model and Pseudo-second-order model were used to explain the adsorption mechanism. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations showed that there are electrostatic interactions and hydrogen bonding between the O- and N-containing groups and MMB molecules. AC-SNP was found to be nontoxic in a cat litter formulation, and removes 99.87% volatile MMB at a low loading ratio of 2 wt%. The fabricated sugarcane bagasse-based cat litter (SB_CL) formulation also has anti-bacterial properties, and so has significant commercialization prospects.

Effect of co-hydrothermal carbonization of sugarcane bagasse and polyvinyl chloride on co-production of furfural and solid fuel

The co-production was investigated of furfural and solid fuel using co-hydrothermal carbonization (co-HTC) of sugarcane bagasse (BG) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) compared with hydrothermal carbonization of sugarcane bagasse alone. The HTC process was studied in the temperature range 180–240 °C and furfural production was studied for reaction times of 20, 40 and 60 min. The residence time for hydrocharproduct was 60 min. The results indicated that the highest furfural yield was achieved at about 88 % of the theoretical pentosan available from sugarcane bagasse at 240 °C and 60 min for the hydrothermal carbonization of sugarcane bagasse alone. The inclusion of PVC with the sugarcane bagasse during the HTC led to decreased furfural formation. The solid fuel characterization results showed that hydrochar derived from both mixing BG and PVC and from BG alone improved the fuel properties.

Effect of cobalt doping and sugarcane bagasse carbon on the electrocatalytic performance of MoS2 nanocomposites

Conductivity, active sites, and structural stability significantly affect the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) of non-noble metals catalysts (molybdenum disulfide (MoS2)). Therefore, this work proposed a cobalt (Co) doping strategy, to improve the catalytic activity of MoS2, and MoS2 cum sugarcane bagasse derived carbon conjugate (MoS2-SCBC). The designed Co-doped MoS2 (Co-MoS2) and Co-doped SCBC-MoS2 (Co-MoS2-SCBC) nanosheets can enhance the HER activity in the acid electrolyte. The results showed that Co atoms can replace Mo atoms during the doping process of MoS2 to form covalent doping for MoS2. As a carbon carrier, SCBC did not only enhance the electronic conductivity of MoS2 and stability of the mixed structure, but also they were conducive to the dispersion of MoS2, and the exposure of more edge active sites. In addition, Co-MoS2-0.67-SCBC-0.2 showed improved HER electrochemical activity, with overpotential of 62 mV and a lowest Tafel slope of 53.86 mV dec-1 at 10 mA cm−2. The Cdl value for Co-MoS2-0.67-SCBC-0.2 was about 93.36 mF cm−2. Co-MoS2-0.67-SCBC-0.2 also exhibited high stability under acidic conditions, maintained its activity in more than 2000 cyclic voltammetry scans, and had strong durability after 12 h of 10 mA cm−2 exposure. In conclusion, this work provides a Co atom doping strategy to combine biomass waste with inert MoS2 in producing low-cost and highly active non-noble metal electrocatalysts for HER.

Sugarcane bagasse as carbon source for the production of cellulase by Aspergillus niger

Background: In the presence of a suitable carbon source, filamentous fungi such as Aspergillus species are particularly important in enzyme production for industrial scale. The conversion of hemicelluloses from agro-waste biomass into valuable products has been considered strategic for the economic viability and bedrock of lignocellulose biorefineries. Methods: In the present study, we explore the potential of Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus flavus to utilized 3 agro-waste including sugarcane bagasse (SB), plantain pseudostem (PS), and corn cob (CC) as carbon sources for cellulase production, and determine the optimum yielding condition. Results: The results revealed that among the 3 agro-waste explored, SB was the most suitable carbon source utilized by A. niger and A. flavus for cellulase production. The maximum activity ranges of 205.03±3.25 and 302.13±2.56 IU/mL were obtained after 24 hr of fermentation with the SB. The optimum temperature, pH, and substrate concentrations were determined as 50∘C, 5, and 0.3% respectively. Conclusion: Collectively, the present study demonstrated that Aspergillus species when grown under sugarcane bagasse carbon source represent the best strategies for cheap production of cellulase. This information would be useful for the ideal formulation of media composition for maximum cellulase production by this organism.

Facile route for synthesis of Fe0/Fe3C/γ-Fe2O3 carbon composite using hydrothermal carbonization of sugarcane bagasse and its use as effective adsorbent for sulfamethoxazole removal

Non-toxic mesoporous magnetic carbon composite was synthesised from hydrothermal carbonization of sugarcane bagasse with Iron (III) nitrate nonahydrate in two steps along with thermo-chemical oxidation process using sodium hydroxide. IR spectrum exposed the presence of oxygenated functional groups and FeO whereas XRD analysis revealed the availability of Fe0/Fe3C/γ-Fe2O3 at varying intensities. SEM analysis showed the spherical shaped carbon is well encapsulated with iron particles. Textural studies showed that after thermo-chemical activation intensified the surface area on composites to about 491.474 m2 g−1 thereby, promoting improved porosity on the carbon matrix. The fabricated composite showed magnetization of 32.84 emu g−1 and SMX adsorption capacity as 169.49 mg g−1. Kinetics and isotherm studies revealed that removal of SMX fitted well in Pseudo-second order and Langmuir models. The mode of interaction of SMX on magnetic carbon composites with respect to different pH was studied showing that π-π electron donor interaction (EDA), hydrophobic interaction, charge assisted hydrogen bond formation were responsible for SMX removal. The selectivity nature of magnetic composite with respect to SMX was studied in the presence of multiple pollutant. Use of magnetic carbon helps in industrialising the material to high level due to their unique property in separation and recycling. Application of hydrothermal carbonization is found to be applicable for wet solid substance thereby evolving structural carbon compound.

High removal of crystal violet dye and tetracycline by hydrochloric acid assisted hydrothermal carbonization of sugarcane bagasse prepared at high yield

At a moderate thermal treatment process, hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) was known as an alternate and green way of preparing carbonaceous material known as hydrochar as an adsorbent. The HTC process requires the inclusion of water as a carbonization medium for the hydrolysis reaction to occur. By adding acid to the HTC water, the hydrolysis reaction was catalyzed, which lowered the reaction time and temperature while also increasing the adsorption efficiency. Overreaction, on the other hand, may occur, lowering the yield as well as the number of functional groups accessible for adsorption. Thus, in this study, Response Surface Methodology by Central Composite Design (RSM-CCD) was employed to investigate and optimize the HCL acid-assisted HTC of sugarcane bagasse (SB) process parameters of loading rate, reaction time, reaction temperature, and HCL acid concentration towards three responses: optimized hydrochar (HCop) yield, crystal violet (CV) dye removal and tetracycline (TC) removal. The HCop was characterized using FTIR, FESEM, BET + N2 gas, and TGA analyses, and the results were compared to hydrochar made without the use of acid (HCdw). In brief, HCop has more acidic oxygenated functional groups, stronger aromaticity and hydrophobicity, greater porosity, and greater thermal stability than HCdw. The Langmuir isotherm model reported maximum adsorption capacity (Qmax) of CV dye removal for HCop (207.16 mg g−1) was 1.5 times higher than the HCdw (137.85 mg g−1). While HCop had a two-fold higher Qmax of TC removal (68.25 mg g−1) than HCdw (33.61 mg g−1). Overall, the optimization of HCL-acid assisted HTC of SB was successful in producing hydrochar with good adsorption efficiency.

Chelating properties of humic-like substances obtained from process water of hydrothermal carbonization

Recent studies have shown a new way of producing humic-like substances (HLS) from hydrochar prepared by hydrothermal carbonization of biomass. However, studies of HLS extracted from process water (PW) produced in hydrothermal carbonization process to the best of our knowledge are non-existent. In this work, hydrothermal carbonization of sugarcane bagasse and vinasse was performed under two concentrations of H 2 SO 4 (1 and 4% w:w) followed of extraction of HLS from PW (HLS 1% and HLS 4%). The interaction of these compounds with Cu(II) ions revelated a complexation with high conditional stability constant (K ranged from 5.0 to 5.4) and high complexing capacity (CC c ranged from 3.1 to 3. 9 μ mol mg −1 ). Elemental analysis and ash content showed that HLS 1% and HLS 4% both have high content of carbon, oxygen and inorganic compounds. In addition, the H/C molar ratio suggests that both HLS have aliphatic nature and O/C molar ratio acidic functional groups. FTIR analysis showed great variety of functional groups and also the presence of inorganic compounds. Excitation–Emission​ fluorescence matrices applied with complexation studies showed that interaction of HLS and Cu(II) occurs with two humic-like components. Data on Time Resolved Fluorescence Spectroscopy (TRFS) suggests that the mechanism of interaction between both HLS and Cu(II) occur by complexation. Furthermore, the infrared bidimensional analysis indicates that the binding sites for HLS 1% were in affinity order: COO CO > C H aliphatic, while for HLS 4% was: C H aliphatic > CO. • Humic-like substances were isolated from process water of biomass carbonization. • Humic-Like substances showed high K c and complexing capacity with Cu(II). • Oxygenated functional moieties are responsible for the high complexing capacity. • The characteristics of these substances suggest its uses in foliar fertilization.

Enhanced adsorptive removal of sulfamethoxazole from water using biochar derived from hydrothermal carbonization of sugarcane bagasse

This research work primarily focussed on the production of biochar from sugarcane bagasse through HTC followed by NaOH activation at inert atmosphere for removing SMX from water. The biochar was characterized for structural morphology and presence of functional groups. XRD and FTIR analysis confirmed that presence of aromatized graphitic structure accumulated with oxygenated functional groups are responsible for the elimination of SMX. SEM analysis portrayed the sphere-shaped structure of biochar with hydrophobic groups interior and hydrophilic groups exterior. BET isotherm revealed the active surface area equal to 1099 m2/g with high coverage of mesopores structure. Pzpc of adsorbent is evaluated to 6.5 stating that effective removal of SMX depends on ionization effects induced due to reaction medium. Kinetics study revealed the sorption of SMX followed chemical interaction pertaining to Elovich model. Isotherm studies revealed that Freundlich model fitted well stating heterogeneous mode of interaction. Immobilization of SMX on surface of ABC is due to charge assisted hydrogen bonding and π-π interaction with graphitized carbon, showing maximum sorption capacity of 400 mg/g through spontaneous reaction. The results suggested that HTC derived biochar had great adsorption affinity with respect to pH towards SMX and could be employed as an effective sorbent in cleaning water contaminants.

Extremely high surface area of activated carbon originated from sugarcane bagasse

In this study, the extremely high specific surface area of activated carbon originated from sugarcane bagasse was produced by dry chemical activation. In this process, KOH was used as a chemical agent and directly mixed sugarcane bagasse carbon with KOH powder, which has been treated in a solid form. In particular, the influences of the impregnation ratio and activation temperature were investigated. The as-prepared activated carbons were characterized by Brunauer-Emmet-Teller (BET), which aims to determine the surface area of activated carbon and Raman Spectra analysis to examine the vibration modes of material characteristics. The maximum specific surface area of the activated carbon reached 3554 m2/g at 800 °C and an impregnation ratio of 1:4. Furthermore, the Raman spectra of activated carbon exhibited graphite structure for sample in impregnation ratio 1:2 and 1:3 due to having of G and G−1 band. This material is essential for make battery.

Factorial design of experiments for extraction and screening analysis of organic compounds in hydrochar and its process water of sugar cane bagasse and vinasse

The extraction of non-volatile (NVOC), semi-volatile (SVOC), and volatile (VOC) organic compounds in water and soil samples follows well-defined protocols, already described in the specialized literature. However, for environmental matrices that are either new, complex, or difficult to define, an adaptation of the extraction procedures needs to be made. Thus, the main purpose of this paper was to find the best conditions for the extraction of NVOC, SVOC, and VOC in complex matrix samples (hydrochar-HC and process water-PW) resulting from the hydrothermal carbonization of sugar cane bagasse and vinasse. For this, a factorial design (FD) was carried out for each type of extraction and sample. Solvent and temperature were the most determining parameters for the extraction processes. The best extraction conditions for NVOC from HC were obtained using acetone, during 8 h of reflux at Soxhlet and 1.00 g of HC (50 NVOCs), while for SVOC the best conditions were those using acetone, 40 min of ultrasound, and 1.00 g of HC (50 SVOCs). For NVOC from PW, the derivatization conditions that allowed the best extraction were found at 80 °C, 30 min, and 150 μL of PW (36 NVOCs), while for SVOC, the best conditions of extraction were those using dichloromethane and 20 min in single extraction (34 SVOCs). For VOC from HC, the best conditions were 80 °C and 30 min (39 VOCs), while, from PW, these were 40 °C and 30 min (48 VOCs) of headspace equilibrium. In this way, FD enabled the adaptation of the extraction procedures for hydrochar and process water, making screening by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis possible.