The production and characterization of carbon based materials via biomass pyrolysis

Carbon-based emissions caused by increasing energy and fuel needs cause global warming, which leads to climate change. This situation results in the restriction of fossil fuels and more emphasis on renewable and efficient alternative energy and material sources. Biomass is the most similar to fossil resources in terms of both energy and material source, and due to this feature, it differs from other only renewable energy sources. Biomass is a renewable energy source obtained from biotic materials with abiotic variables. The pyrolysis process is the main method of obtaining valuable products and energy from biomass. Pyrolysis is the process of breaking down biomass into relatively low molecular weight compounds under high temperature in an airless or inert environment. The resulting products are known as coal-like biochar, petroleum-equivalent tar, and hydrogen-rich gas. As an alternative resource, biomass is abundant in the world and needs to be utilized efficiently. In this study, palm sheath from palm family and garlic peel from tuberous plants were used as biomass. Date cover was brought from Irak Kut, garlic peel was brought from Kastamonu in Turkey and ground into powder. To obtain biochar by pyrolysis in each run, 2.0 g samples of palm casing and garlic peel were carried out in the tubular reactor placed vertically in the preheated furnace. Pyrolysis processes were carried out at three different temperatures (350, 450 and 550 oC). The solid products remaining inside the reactor were collected and the characterization process was carried out on this material alone. The morphological and structural properties of the solid product were determined by scanning electron microscopy and X-light diffraction. Chemical functional groups were investigated by FTIR spectroscopy. Mechanical characterization was carried out by Vickers hardness test. Thermal characterization was performed by thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry. KEYWORDS: Biomass, Pyrolysis, Natural Fibers, Carbon Materials, Polymers