Preparation and investigation of nanostructured carbonaceous composites from the high-ash biomass

The various pathways of high-ash biomass processing to the valuable carbonaceous composites are considered. From the rice husk carbon–silica composites and supermicroporous carbon materials (SMC) were prepared. In the new SMCs, the specific surface area ABET reaches 3460 m2/g while micropore volume Vμ is up to 1.9 cm3/g at the total of pore volume, VΣ, as large as 3.0 cm3/g. These carbons were shown to absorb up to 41 wt% of methane at room temperature and 60 atm and more than 6 wt% of hydrogen under mild cryogenic conditions (at 77 K). Also methods for the synthesis of carbon–silica composites with ABET up to 710 m2/g and with average size of SiO2 particles less 5 nm are proposed. The expected practical application of the obtained carbon–silica composites may be first of all reinforcing rubber extenders and bi-functional sorbents for the gas and liquid purification.