(2024) Bioresource Technology_Valorizing spent mushroom substrate into syngas by the thermo-chemical process

Lee T.; Choi D.; Park J.; Tsang Y.F.; Andrew Lin K.-Y.; Jung S.; Kwon E.E.

(Elsevier Ltd) Bioresource Technology ISSN: 9608524 Vol.391 Issue. Article No.130007 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2023.130007

This study investigated the conversion of agricultural biomass waste (specifically, spent mushroom substrate) into syngas via pyrolysis. Carbon dioxide was used to provide a green/sustainable feature in the pyrolysis process. All the experimental data highlight the mechanistic role of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in the process, demonstrated by the enhanced carbon monoxide (CO) yield from pyrolysis under CO₂. Carbon dioxide was indeed reactive at ≥ 500 ˚C. Carbon dioxide was reduced and subsequently oxidized volatiles stemming from the thermolysis of spent mushroom substrate via the gas-phase reaction, thereby resulting in the enhanced formation of CO. Carbon dioxide radically diverted the carbon distribution patterns of the pyrogenic products, as more carbon in the oil was allocated to syngas by the gas-phase reaction of volatiles and CO₂. To enhance the mechanistic role of CO₂, a Ni-based catalyst was added to the pyrolysis process, which greatly accelerated the gas-phase reaction of volatiles and CO₂. © 2023 Elsevier Ltd

This work was supported by a National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korean government (MSIT) (NRF-2023R1A2C3003011).