Effects and mechanism of pyrolysis temperature on physicochemical properties of corn stalk pellet biochar based on combined characterization approach of microcomputed tomography and chemical analysis

• Published in: Bioresource technology 2021-06, Vol.329, p.124907-124907, Article 124907
• Main Authors: Xie, Ruyue, Zhu, Ying, Zhang, Hehu, Zhang, Peizhen, Han, Lujia
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adsorption; Charcoal; Mechanism; Microcomputed tomography; Molded pellet biochar; Physicochemical analysis; Pyrolysis; Pyrolysis temperature; Temperature; X-Ray Microtomography; Zea mays
• ISSN: 0960-8524; 1873-2976
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2021.124907

[Display omitted] •Corn stalk pellet biochar samples were prepared at temperatures from 300 to 800 °C.•Samples’ properties were fully characterized by physicochemical analysis and micro-CT.•A micro-CT method for characterizing pellet biochar 3D microstructure was established.•Effects of temperature on microstructure at nano and micro scale were firstly studied.•Qualitative and quantitative correlations among T, yield and properties were analyzed. To further explain effects of pyrolysis temperature on physicochemical properties of corn stalk pellet biochar from a new perspective, various lab physicochemical analysis methods combining microcomputed tomography were used to characterize biochar in this study. The results showed that at pyrolysis temperatures from 300 °C to 800 °C, yield of biochar decreased logarithmically with increasing pyrolysis temperature (T); changes of proximate and elemental compositions all showed significant differences, but the change rules were not consistent; high temperature pyrolysis biochar had high stability, high hardness and was convenient for storage and transportation; the proportions of hydroxyl group and amino group were highest in BC800 and BC600, respectively, contributing to the adsorption and removal of pollutants; BC400 had the best combustion performance; X-ray mean attenuation coefficient (XMAC) showed the following correlations, namely, XMAC = 0.003*ln(T-285.329) + 0.011 (R2 = 0.904) and XMAC = -0.031*(VM/100) + 0.021*(Ash/100) + 0.027 (R2 = 0.915). Above results provide important basic data support for development of corn stalk pellet biochar.