(302e) Investigation of Biochar Liquefaction to Produce Chemicals and Fuels

Due to the threat of global warming and its effects, emphasis on renewable fuels have increased in the recent times. To replace fossil fuels, which has been a major contributor to the global warming, production of bio-fuel from biomass has been explored by various researchers. Biomass consists of 30-35 wt% cellulose, 15-35 wt% hemicellulose and 20-35 wt% lignin. Biochar is a carbon rich hydrocarbon produced from biomass and biomass model compounds by hydrothermal carbonization. Biochar produced by hydrothermal carbonization requires low temperature, has higher carbon recovery, low ash content and has more surface oxygen containing groups when compared to other methods. In our research, we have studied the liquefaction of biochar in a hydrogen donating solvent (tetralin) by hydrocracking at 400 C where the thermal breakdown of hydrocarbon bonds form radicals, which are stabilized by the hydrogen donated by the tetralin. It was observed that the biochar produced from different biomass model compounds behave differently during dissolution and liquefaction. It was observed that the liquefaction of biochar depended on (a) biomass model compound (b) presence of biocrude and (c) the hydrothermal carbonization temperature. The products mainly consisted of pre-asphaltenes (tetrahydrofuran soluble), asphaltenes (toluene soluble) and oil (hexane soluble) and were characterized by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy analysis.