(2022) Chemical Engineering Journal_Beneficial use of Fe-impregnated bentonite as a catalyst for pyrolysis of grass cut into syngas, bio-oil and biochar

Kwon G., Cho D.-W., Kwon E.E., Rinklebe J., Wang H., Song H.

(Elsevier B.V.) Chemical Engineering Journal ISSN: 13858947 Vol.448 Issue. Article No.137502 DOI: 10.1016/j.cej.2022.137502

Fe-impregnated bentonite was employed in CO₂-assisted pyrolysis of grass cut as a catalyst to improve syngas production, bio-oil quality, and biochar sorptive property. The gas analysis revealed that H₂ and CO production was enhanced by 332 and 7,110%, respectively, by applying Fe-impregnated bentonite in pyrolysis of grass cut while untreated bentonite had a limited influence on syngas production. Bio-oil produced from Fe-impregnated bentonite and grass cut (Fe-BG) had more homogenized chemical species in bio-oil as compared to that produced from pyrolysis of grass cut, and contained methyl 1,1-methyl-dodecanoate (C₁₄H₂₈O₂), one of the major components in biodiesel. The produced biochar had high surface area (69.2 m2 g⁻¹) and possessed Fe0 and graphitic carbon structure, which was deemed to arise from reduction of Fe-oxides by syngas. Biochar also showed high As(V) adsorption capacity. The overall results of this work demonstrated the beneficial utility of Fe-impregnated bentonite in pyrolysis of biomass to improve syngas production as well as the quality of pyrogenic products. © 2022 Elsevier B.V.

This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korean government (MSIT) (NRF 2019R1A4A1027795) and the Basic Research Project of the Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (Project code: 22-3412).